A Few More Strokes To Happiness
by Sesshomaru-Sara
Summary: Naruto is an artist. Sasuke is a model. Picture it. [NaruSasu KisaIta KyuuSasu Yaoi AU COMPLETE]
1. A Day Apart

Hey! This is my newest fic! I estimated about 10 chapters at most. I HOPE. I always seem to drag it out beyond all meaning of STUPIDITY. I apologize. xD This is actually my first Seme!Naruto x Uke!Sasuke. Tired of making Naruto into a little whiner who cries all the time. And that doesn't mean I'm going to make Sasuke one either! Sasuke is so bitchin' in this fic, so I focus on him more than Naruto. Freaking SWEET. This first chapter is devided in half: The first is a day in the life of Naruto, and the other, Sasuke. Naruto's isn't as cool as Sasuke's, but what the hell. Sasuke is cooler in this anyway. So! Enjoy this, because it took me forever! YEAH!

---** A Day of Naruto...---**

The stroke to the left ear was perfect, and with only a little more sketching to the nose, its bridge would be bold and powerful.

"-And the battle of Portugal in1843."

God, the eyes were so unbelievably nurturing, it made me feel like I was just a little kid again with a father who would always smile. And those full lips were just so perfect for the job.

"-Though Magellan was not deterred."

Hair the color of soft mud, it was pulled tightly into a pointed bundle at the back of his head, bouncing with every syllable forced from those beautiful lips. He shifted in his stance as he continued to read to the class, and his narrow shoulders bunched as he sighed.

"...Naruto?"

"Yessssss?" I answered quietly, not looking up from my work. All that was left was that gorgeous scar...Mysterious and intriguing.

"My god, Naruto, that's beautiful!" he exclaimed. I felt my tongue slip from behind my teeth and touch my lip in concentration. Just a little more, and with one final scratch of the pencil, I finished with a sigh. Iruka smiled fatherly at me, blinking down at the mirror image. But when silence befell us, Iruka cleared his throat.

"Naruto, this is history class, not drawing class. Please see me after school."

The classmates behind me giggled under their breaths, and I scowled: One way to start my morning. Stuffing my supplies back into my bag, I gently laid my head down on the concrete desk and slid my eyes shut. Oh, Iruka-sensei...

"...Now let's continue..."

---

"...Naruto, could I keep this?"

His eyes practically lolled from his head and his mouth parted strangely.

"You want...It?" he asked in his tiny voice. Iruka nodded.

"It's absolutely amazing. I didn't know I could be that handsome!"

Naruto's foot lightly kicked at Iruka's desk, mumbling under his breath.

"What was that, Naruto?" Iruka beamed. Naruto lowered his head in respect.

"...I said thank you, Iruka sensei..."

Iruka smiled, but his eyebrows arched in confusion at Naruto's reverence. It wasn't like him to be polite.

"...Do you take any art classes, Naruto?"

The blonde shook his golden head. "...No, Iruka sensei. I don't have the money."

"I'm sure I could persuade the teacher. He's talked about in the faculty and is known for being easy to get past."

Naruto was silent, and the longer it went on for, the more tense his shoulders became. Iruka looked down to see him scratching and fiddling with his hands, until red welts and marks appeared. Iruka slowly leaned over the desk to stop him, and closing his hands around Naruto's, he felt them shake.

"Please don't do that. Do you not want to take any classes? Are you too nervous?"

"No," his voice called out, "I...I um...Would you...Really do that for me, Iruka sensei?"

Iruka smiled as he nodded, nudging Naruto's calmed hands. "Anything for you, Naruto. Now go on, Jiraiya's waiting for you."

Naruto took small quiet steps to the door as Iruka swiveled in his chair and attempted at grading.

"...Iruka sensei?"

"Ye-AH!"

Throwing himself into Iruka's arms, he nuzzled his scarred face into his taut chest.

"...Thank you, Iruka-sensei, thank you..."

Wrapping strong arms against his student, he sighed and smiled into his sunny locks.

"...You're welcome, Naruto..."

---

"...No."

"What do you mean?" Iruka cried out. Kakashi eyed Iruka with his one eye; the other hidden behind a red and black bandana smeared in paint, and could only be assumed frowning behind a white medical mask.

"I have many students who draw exactly like this," he said, gesturing to the portrait of Iruka, "and I have reason to believe he won't amount to anything."

At this, Naruto began to scratch at his hands. His low self-esteem and confidence was surfacing, and when that occurred, there wasn't much even Naruto could do about it.

"Naruto, shh! Calm down, calm down!" Iruka squeezed his hand to calm him, but Naruto was already into his other self, dropping to his knees, forehead meeting the cold floor.

"...Please, please, please," Naruto whispered against the ground. Kakashi looked down at the boy indifferently.

"If you can't even control your emotions, there's no way you can take on my class."

Naruto's head shot up from its place and nodded nervously, careful not to look into that dazedly strange eye. But Kakashi tilted his chin up with a boney calloused finger.

"...Especially if you don't even have the guts to look at me."

Iruka stood by and watched as Naruto's eyes flashed in torment. His hands were beginning to fidget again, so the brunette stepped in.

"Please," Iruka started, "Isn't there anything I can do?"

"...You?" Kakashi questioned with a quirk of his eyebrow. Iruka's face turned a little red under his gaze, but stood tall. The art teacher grinned handsomely behind his medical mask, and Iruka became a little nervous.

"...Hmm...I suppose you and I _could_ discuss something later..."

Iruka tried to hide his growing blush but failed miserably. Kakashi gave a quiet chuckle before turning to the blonde, whose fidgeting had nearly ceased existence.

"...So, blondie...When can you start?"

---

Practically bursting through the door, I threw my backpack onto the couch and ran to the center of the apartment.

"Jiraiya! God, Jiraiya, you'll never guess what happened today at school!" I cried, knowing he would hear me when I was energetic.

No answer.

"Jiraiya?"

And there it was: The brown bottle by my bedroom door. I stared at the offending thing, lying there, just as empty as I felt. I gave a loud cry as I kicked it angrily at the door frame, shattering into pieces. Anything in arms reach was in danger of being destroyed, as I stormed into my room and to my bed. I punched my firm pillow, snarling at it like it was the cause of my heartache. I began to punch sporadically in fury, and soon, it fell from my bed. But that didn't stop me from punching at the headboard, even when it began to splinter; even when my knuckles began to drip blood. Finally through torturing myself and my furniture, I fell back onto the bed and stared at my bloody hands. Scars ran all across the backs of them and spiraled up to my fingertips, and my knuckles were only adding to the collection. I wiped them off on the sheets under me quickly and turned over to sleep a sleep that would not actually come for many more hours.

--- **And a Day of Sasuke ---**

"...Sasuke, it's time to get ready for school."

I swatted in the direction of the voice and grumbled incoherently. Today was not a good day.

"I don't want to pull you out by your feet like last time, but I will if the situation calls for it."

I turned my head toward Itachi to see him slurp up some coffee and stare at me blankly. I gave him the bird and turned over again, burying under my personal mountain of blankets. But as soon as I felt one of his hands slither under it all and touch my heel, I shot up and into the bathroom. I could hear him smile behind his coffee cup in victory.

---

"...Glad to see you today, Sasuke-kun. I've got something new, would you like to know what?"

I threw my bag into my seat next to Gaara, knowing the kid would keep away any girls from trying to rummage through it. I scowled at my lecherous teacher and crossed my arms. "It's probably not in my interest anyway."

"Oh, I think it is: A new student." I eyed him warily.

"Last time you let in a new student for me, he was _this _close to getting charged with sexual harassment," I said, gesturing with my fingers just how lucky that little fucker was. "He's still pushing it, too."

"No, Sasuke-kun! I'm truly sorry for that mistake, but I couldn't let his artistic talent fall elsewhere!" I frowned and made to turn away, but Kakashi's strong hands held to my shoulder.

"...He's a blonde."

I slowly let a smile slide to my lips.

"...So that's what you think will work on me?"

"Oh, come on! He's bordering on insane, if not retarded! Give him a go!"

I pushed the hand from my shoulder, glaring over at him.

"I'm tired of 'giving goes'. I'll kindly do anything else for my pay, but I'm not going to mess with anymore of your students like that."

Kakashi's lips quivered in a frown behind his white mask, returning to his desk to prepare for class. I scooted next to the red head, who exchanged a welcoming nod with me. No further words or actions needed, I folded my arms over the desk before e and used them as a pillow. Closing my eyes, I sighed into my pale flesh. Damn Kakashi...

"Now let's begin..."

--

"Yeah, just like that."

I would have loved, more than anything else, to blow chunks, or at least gag. But realizing too quickly that it would ruin the posing, I let myself shiver unnoticeably.

Sai was just one of those people I would pay to set on fire.

While I could say that about a lot of people, if not all of them, he was the most tempting. He had the same flawless looks as me, though his face was rounded, his eyes were smaller, and his lips were annoyingly full and always smiling. I was the Adonis of the school and everyone knew it, but this guy was something no one could ignore: It was like another me.

"Yeah, just a little longer..."

I sighed and tried to shift. As a model, I was to be trained in stillness, poise, and beauty. Sometimes, I felt like I was being trained to be some fine porcelain doll for people to ogle. While it was partially true, I wasn't just going to sit back and let myself be passed around and mishandled. I was more than that.

And it wasn't just because I was naked in front of all of them every time.

My body was something I cherished above everything else, and, I wasn't the only one who cherished it. Hundreds of people adored it, would join the art class just to see me naked and splayed out like a test subject. And for that exact reason, Kakashi was forced to create auditions and require portfolios, so no creepy little fan girls were allowed in just for the sake of seeing me. One had to be talented enough...

One had to be given the _privilege_ to see me.

"...Mmhm..."

I felt a tug at the sheet over my groin and I immediately grabbed hold of his venturing hand.

"...I put that there so you _wouldn't _want to touch it..." I hissed, fingernails close to breaking skin. He smiled suggestively at me and hummed, moving closer to me. I was able to look behind him, at the finished picture of me he had sketched.

"...I wanted to see all of you! Come, don't hide under those sheets." He purred it out, slipping the sheet away slowly. I nearly broke his hand as I squeezed it, ripping the sheet back over my groin. He gave a light grunt in pain, but realizing it was his drawing hand, he quickly changed his demeanor.

"Okay! Okay! Uncle!" He cried, pulling away from me. I scowled, pulling the sheet over all of me like a shawl, hiding everything.

"...I can see that you are finished, so I have no further use being here," I said, narrowing my eyes and heading over to the changing room, where I furiously yanked my clothes over myself and stalked out.

I'm no one's slut, even if it may look that way.

---

"...Welcome home, little brother."

I paused in my angry stride up the stairs to my room, glancing over at Itachi. He was leaning calmly against the kitchen door frame with his friend Kisame, who was finding his pocketknife more interesting than me.

"...Yes, Itachi ni-san?" I purred with a roll of my eyes. He shrugged his thin narrow shoulders, and closed his eyes.

"...Nothing. I only wished to know of my cute little otouto's day at school."

I thought about ignoring his borderline sarcasm, but seeing as he was serious, I gave in. Seeing Itachi warmly invite conversation with me was rare, and most of the time, extremely enjoyable. "...Sai tried to touch me again."

I saw a grimace on my brother's face, and felt relief cascade over me.

"I hope you didn't break his hands off. His pictures of you are gorgeous."

I had to smile. "No, but I was about to."

"He didn't...Actually touch you, did he?"

"No, no...I would never let him actually do anything. But frighteningly, he got closer than last time."

There was a pause, and only the sound of Kisame cleaning under his fingernails with the tip of his blade could be heard. Itachi glanced at me from head to toe.

"...So...Are you okay?" I nodded, shifting a little. I hadn't realized I had stopped being angry, stopped being nervous and distant. Itachi was the only one who could calm me, and if anything, I bet he knew when I was close to a breakdown.

"Yeah, I'm fine... Thanks, Ni-san." He smirked brotherly.

"...No problem. Now go, be productive or something."

I gave him a rare and true smile before practically dancing up the rest of the stairs. Itachi's words had helped more than I thought, and as I threw myself onto my luscious silky bed face first into my pillows, I sighed heavily.

Tomorrow might be better.


	2. A Day Together

Okay, so I lied.

I at least held a little hope as to it being a good day.

"Hey Sasuke, are we up for some _private_ modeling?"

I didn't answer, and I didn't even care who was offering it. It could have been the sexiest man alive on the cover of People magazine, and I still wouldn't. To criticize my work was beyond unforgivable, and especially the way I looked doing it.

"How about me too, eh, Uchiha?"

I slipped some headphones on, big ones to muffle their voices. But as soon as it was on, it was pulled off.

"Did'ja hear us, Uchiha?"

I gave a deep angry sigh as I glared at my usual annoyances.

"...Haven't I always said no?" I told them. They were the Sound Squad, students who were majoring in musical theory rather than visual arts. With the way they always surrounded me, one would think they were in it for a gangbang.

"Yeah, but it's still worth a try," Jiroubo boomed. I scowled and tried to look uninterested. Tayuya bounced over to me, her cleavage extravagant. I shuddered.

"Come on, dipshit, join us."

"Your kind words of endearment flatter me," I said with batted eyelashes. It was her turn to scowl, and her pretty face wrinkled.

"Quit it, Tayuya, with your fucking mouth, he'll never join," Kidoumaru growled.

I started to cough, and in the middle of it, I choked it out:

"-CONTRADICTION."

"Oh shut the hell up, Sasuke! Why won't you just hang with us?" Sakon looked a little desperate, like if he didn't, Kimimaro was going to have his ass, which wasn't far from the truth. I would have told him 'I don't hang out with band geeks!' but then _he_ stepped in.

"Because he's got us!"

I almost smashed my head against my desk at his lame abruptness. God, was this just a friendship war over me?

"Back off, Big Gulp, you're outnumbered." I almost laughed: Kidoumaru was digging his own grave. Suigetsu's fine eyebrows arched and his hands planted themselves on his hips. Karin fixed her glasses and turned away hurriedly.

"...Excuse me?" he purred. I had to smile at him, and his own grin grew.

"...You're outnumbered," Jiroubo foolishly repeated. And that's when Suigetsu made his move. Before anyone could even catch him with their eyes, his razorblade teeth were already an inch deep in Jiroubo's forearm. The poor guy gave a wretched cry and tore his bloody arm away from the still grinning through gory fangs Suigetsu.

"Try counting all my friends! They've made their mark!" he yelled as they made a mad dash for the door. The two then scurried to my desk, Suigetsu licking each individual tooth to rid it of blood.

"Man, d'you got any tissues or anything? It tastes really gross." I handed him one of my clean gym towels and he scrubbed his whole mouth clean.

"If it tastes so gross, why do it?" Karin asked, cheek pressed against her fist. Suigetsu smiled behind the towel.

"If I didn't, who would take care of Gorgeous?"

"I can take care of myself, thank you," I growled, "and you should have seen me with Sai yesterday. I was about to castrate him."

"Should have given me front row tickets." the toothy boy said, "So he's still chasin' ya?"

I nodded curtly, and he pulled out his infamous Big Gulp. Suigetsu was close to albino, with pale skin and white hair, and got dehydrated easily. So he was issued to always have water with him, all the time. And being the crazy bastard he was, he fashioned himself a belt with cup holders at each hip. I actually thought it was creative, but people deemed him 'Big Gulp' and would always make fun of him for it. But that in itself was hard to get away with, the way he tended to gnash his filed incisors and shut people up instantly.

"Haven't you reported him or anything?" Karin chimed in. I shook my head, and she fixed her glasses again. Karin was head of the school's science division, and knew practically everything there was to know about chemistry. I asked her once why she was still in this high school and not skipped up to college, and she told me it was her grades in English. It didn't stop her from brewing me and Suigetsu up some plastic explosives, or the occasional bit of meth. Even through our illegal antics, I still remained every teachers' favorite and therefore best student, Karin was top of her game, and well, Suigetsu remained the scariest person in town, save Kisame, his half brother, which is how I met the guy in the first place. Kisame had to baby-sit him for their dad, but he still had his daily engagement with Itachi to hold up, so he brought him over. We hit it off instantly, when he bit me in greeting, and I commented nicely on his teeth, even though my arm looked like ground beef. We've been friends ever since.

Karin, though, I found through my fan girls. She had one of the biggest crush on me I'd ever seen. It wasn't surprising, the science geek falling in love with the most popular guy in school. Sounded like a bad plot for a movie, but at least I then realized it could actually happen. She'd often leave me baked goods in my locker, and being a chemist had it's basics for cooking. I met up with her and talked a little, but I couldn't say much, seeing as all she did was stare at me. I let her hang around me since junior high, and having turned down every single offer, she slowly grew out of it. Now she was just the smart dork that I had come to call a friend, whatever that implied exactly.

"...That's what you're supposed to do, stupid." She said. I smirked a little at her bravery. I doubt anyone but her could get away with calling me that.

"He didn't really do anything too bad. Just big talk from a small man."

"In which ways? Since he talks so much about penises, I don't think he even has one!"

I allowed myself to laugh along with Karin and Suigetsu. Not many can pull that from me, much less a smirk. But these guys were the best relationships I've ever held, and I hoped to keep them until graduation. Or even college, if life would allow me.

"Hey! You kids, get the hell out of here! You're late for class!" Kakashi hissed. Suigetsu and Karin sprang to their feet, Karin's skimpy lab coat fluttering and Suigetsu's Big Gulps sloshing. They both threw hurried waves over their shoulders, echoed a quick "See you later!", and they were gone.

---

"_If you want to date me, you have to come over every day."_

"_...Every day?"_

"_Every day, even if you're sick. If you forget, I'll break up with you."_

I sifted my hand through my glossy midnight hair, a heavy sigh hissing behind clenched teeth. My coffee lay slipped and worthless near my nose, as my cheek was pressed to the cold marble counter. I blinked lazily at it.

"...What is that, your seventh cup?" the burly voice asked me. I closed my eyes sleepily, fingers numbly dipping themselves in the brown liquid and drawing elegant circles in the stone.

"...Eighth," I corrected, palm splashing in the puddle of drink. He gave a brief chuckle, elbows resting on the counter near my face.

"At least you aren't a crack head. I wouldn't know what to do with you."

"...Oh, so this is a bad time to tell you..."

"...And I should tell you to use better lines," he laughed. His voice buried itself in my eardrums, and it rang loudly, lulling me to sleep.

"...You know, you're supposed to get hyper when you drink coffee, Itachi."

I forced myself to open an eyelid, trying to focus in on the big toned man before me. He was rolling his neck from side to side, his large sharp teeth glistening as he yawned.

"...Yeah, well, It just makes me that much more unique," I defended quietly. I felt myself start to slip from my chair, but I was so drugged up on caffeine, fuck me for saying it, I was about to pass go and jump to Candy land. But I slowly felt his strong bulky arms slip around me like I was glass, and brushed me to his chest. I could still hear Kisame's godly laugh in my ears, even as I collected my two hundred dollars and got lost in the Candy Cane Forest.

"I'm so sure, lover boy."

---

"WELCOME TO ART CLASS!"

I stood by Kakashi as he shouted, waiting for his students to scurry in with their materials and sit at their assigned easels. One easel remained empty.

"...You still haven't replaced Sakura?" I asked. Sakura was one of the creepiest girls I had ever met. She was head of my fan club, and had once actually followed me home. Of course, whenever she got near my house, I'd kindly ask Kisame to go bark at her. He hated being ordered around, by me, at least, but he did it anyway. I started to believe he enjoyed gnashing those white killers at the girl, as her shrieks always made him laugh. That, and when she brought cookies or chocolates, she'd toss them in her escape, which Kisame would then share with my brother. Those were the better days. But soon finding she couldn't get me out of my house, she'd stalk me in school; even skip classes just to stare at me through the window. Before I knew it, she was accepted into Kakashi's art class. She was surprisingly a great artist, and was admitted without Kakashi even asking if she was a member of the Sasuke Club. Kakashi soon discovered that through every pose I made, she'd draw quickly and professionally, then add, to which was hidden by a sheet, what she believed to be what my dick looked like. Then, she began to add herself into the pictures, doing God knows what with me. Kakashi had to kick her out, because her pictures were violating my privacy and pornographic. Not that he minded; Kakashi was a pervert at heart, and I had come to notice he kept all of Sakura's paintings and sketches in his desk. All in all, I burned them, despite my teacher's tearful pleas.

I was no slut to be treated like an item.

"...Oh? I was quite sure I did..." he drawled out, smile widening behind his medical mask. Not long after he uttered those words, I heard heavy footsteps pounding down the hallway, a voice cursing colorfully, and soon a being skidded to a stop at the door. I didn't get to see his face because he immediately propped his palms over his knees to catch his breath, his bright blonde head hung.

"I...I'm sorry," he coughed out, "Iruka...Needed to...Talk."

I turned to Kakashi, whose eyes were brightly shining behind his red and black bandana.

"...Is Iruka-kun still on for Friday, then?" I watched as the guy hesitantly nodded, slowly standing and showing his face.

And that's when it hit me like a fucking semi. Blue eyes the size of dishes, sparkling like sapphires. I had never seen eyes like that, no one his age was supposed to have such innocent eyes.

We stared at each other for a long time from across the room. I don't know what he was thinking, looking at me with parted lips and a growing redness. I then recognized that kind of face:

Sakura.

I immediately scowled at the beautiful boy, and he was just as quickly taken aback. Hurt obviously flashed in those big perfect eyes, but I could have cared less at that point. All of them were the same!

"...Ahem. Well, if Naruto-kun would please be seated, we can begin. Sasuke..."

"Yeah," I said automatically, stalking to the changing curtain. Once I was hidden, I pumped my angry fists and cursed silently. Another one: Another little brainless follower! Again, again, I'm stuck with a little fan BOY. No one could see me as a person, only as a slut, a whore!

"...Sasuke, done?" Kakashi's muffled voice carried through the curtain, and I growled. But I took a fine, deep breath, and responded.

"Almost. Sheet?" The white fabric was handed to me from behind the curtain, and I put it on a hook before practically ripping my clothes off, angry that I had to show skin to such an abomination. I took another calming breath before wrapping the sheet around my hips and strutting out to my stool in the middle of the room. I glanced at the blonde, who watched me with the most depressing eyes. He no longer had a red face, his jaw no longer on the floor.

I didn't actually take into consideration that he had been running, that he was panting and was red with exhaustion: Guilt trip.

He didn't meet my eyes; he looked too defeated to do anything of the sort. I chewed my lip lightly, but forced myself into a pose. Sitting on the stool, I raised a pale veined arm above my head to reach for the ceiling, head tilted up with it, and my other hand clutching the sheet at my lap. Everything was silent for a few seconds, until Kakashi issued a "Begin." And pencil dust went flying. I tried to tilt my head down so I could see the so called Naruto, and almost did if it hadn't been for Neji.

"Hold still, Uchiha," he purred. I shivered lightly, wanting to gag. No one in this class took me seriously, eying me like a piece of fucking sirloin. Especially Neji: His pale white eyes were a medical mystery, but they are horrible when they scanning you like a fucking laser all the time. I sat still, waiting patiently. As time went by, I became concerned toward the blonde. Maybe he hadn't meant any harm, and being angry was obviously affecting him, through his artistic abilities or mental capacity. I couldn't see if he was drawing, or if he was just staring at the floor still.

After what seemed fucking ages, Kakashi uttered the word "break", and the students groaned as they stood, stretched, and walked into the hall. I was hesitant to see if he was still there, but I dropped my position so my body could return its blood circulation.

And there he was, sitting at his easel, scribbling away. He glanced up at me, but let out a quietly pitiful yelp before going back to his picture, nervous scratching echoing to me.

"I'm sorry, for whatever I did," he said quickly, hiding behind his tall easel, adding his finishing touches. I shook my head and scratched through my black hair.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong. Forget it," I consoled. It did him good, apparently, as he let out a soft sigh. I stretched my neck so I could see him over the easel. His small smile screamed at me, how it was so relieved.

"I'm new to this art stuff...I was afraid I did something wrong, but no one said anything to me, so I didn't know. You just looked so angry, so I was a little freaked...I...umm...Why were you angry?"

I sat there and stared at him. God, his face was like he was twelve, but he had defined muscles, and was obviously taller than me. Three little lines scarred each cheek, and his wild blonde hair fell into his eyes and flipped out a little past his neck. I noticed his confused blue eyes, and focused.

"...Nothing of importance...Just a little iffy," I told him, standing and walking around. His eyes instantly became nervous, and he began to ruffle the papers clamped to his easel. I came around behind him, but he buried the picture of me behind the paper, and his bandaged hands.

"...What's with your hands?" I asked innocently. He immediately withdrew them so I couldn't see which gave me the chance to steal it. I swiftly ripped it from the easel papers and looked it over, even though Naruto had jumped from his chair and acted to get it back. I held him back, reviewing it. His form was excellent, a little rigid in the shoulders, nothing a little practice couldn't fix. My eyes traveled to the face.

"...Where are the eyes?" I asked. He wiggled from behind me and snatched it back, crumpling it into a tight ball and angrily throwing it onto the ground.

"Hey!" I defended. He looked up at me, sad, sad, eyes blasting holes into my own.

"...I couldn't figure them out," he said quietly. I tried not to scoff as I folded my arms: I could say the same.

"Eyes are easy! What was so hard about them?"

He didn't answer, and out of the corner of my 'difficult' eye, I saw his hands clawing at one another.

"...What are you doing?" He without delay tore his hands away and hid them behind his back.

"Nothing!" He defended with a hoarse throat, gulping down a lump. I eyed him warily, not paying any attention to the students reentering the classroom.

"Sasuke, ready?" Kakashi called out from the door. I glanced at Naruto one last time before nodding. As I sat back on my stool, I realized in the time I was talking to Naruto, I was supposed to be stretching. My muscles were still sore, and I winced a little as I took a new position. My palms were pressed to the seat behind me while the sheet lay limply across my lap, and my shoulders were nearly shaking from the strain. For a moment, I thought the sheet was going to slip off. But as long as I sat still and tried not to make a big deal about it, it wouldn't move. Of course, that's easier said than done. I bit my lip, shifting my eyes over to Naruto so I could focus on something and not the pain. He wouldn't leave my sight, and I watched him draw. He would scribble out his guidelines, look up at me, and repeat. He also had a habit of going out to lick the bottom left corner of his lips, doing so every other glance. When he slowed down to do detail, he became somber, not as energetic. He took more and more glances, memorizing my face. I almost smiled when I could predict what he was drawing: He'd bite his lip, then his nose would twitch, and he'd scratch his ear, whenever he had to draw mine. His fine golden eyebrows arched as he drew the ones on my face, and it was then I knew he was going to draw my eyes. But he only blinked quickly a few times and looked me straight in the eye. He wasn't just glancing anymore, he was _staring_. His eyes were so full of feeling; I could see why he'd have trouble with them.

But mine?

My eyes held nothing, is what I've been told. So black, it's the only color. So why would he find those difficult? My Uchiha pride concealed any emotion behind those stupid dark eyes, while his never even hesitated.

I felt my stomach sink as I saw that face again, the face of defeat, on him. From behind his easel, I could see his surprisingly sharp fingernails cut easily through white bandages and scratch his hands. I thought it was pretty innocent; I once broke my leg jumping off a swing set in 4th grade, and I knew how annoyingly itchy bandages could get. But after a moment, I saw his nails break the skin, and red dripped down his palms quickly.

"Naruto."

I grabbed his attention quickly, along with everyone else in the room. Naruto looked down at his bloody hands and whispered out little nothings to himself.

"...I'm sorry," I heard him say. I turned to Kakashi, and he shrugged.

"Break. Sasuke, why don't you escort him?" I nodded and strode behind the curtain, throwing off the sheet and pulling on my pants. I didn't want to fully dress, seeing as I had to come back to take it off anyway. When I stepped out again, Naruto was still muttering to himself. I pulled him up by the bicep and dragged him down the hall, towards the nurse office. Kabuto was probably the best doctor I knew, but I still wasn't sure why he wanted to spend his life working at a high school, being made fun of for being a 'nurse' by every immature kid to cross his path. He liked to stay after school so he could help his uncle, the chemistry teacher, with determining the hazardous conditions of the chemicals used in his class. Orochimaru, though, was a pasty old man who was a perfect addition to my fan club, never ceasing in his chase for me. He was like Sakura: Save the unhealthy dry skin, old crusty wrinkles, and a Gene Simmons tongue.

"Ah, Sasuke! Good to see you!" the old man croaked. Kabuto fixed his big round glasses at me and Naruto, who remained unfocused. Orochimaru practically pranced over to me, a grin bringing up solid wrinkles. "What a pleasant surprise! What is the occasion for this special visit?"

I was tempted to roll my eyes, but doing that would indeed deter them from Naruto getting medical attention. "My friend here needs some disinfectant, bandages, and probably bed rest."

Orochimaru was only ecstatic to help the most beautiful boy in the world. He danced around the office, collecting what I needed. I wish I could have watched in amusement, but as I was too disgusted. Kabuto walked to the medical beds behind the curtain, smiling apologetically.

"I am so sorry. I'll make sure he doesn't bother you." I nodded in thanks, and tried to with Orochimaru as well as he cupped my hands in his and discarded the essentials in them. Finally done being freaked out, I closed the curtain behind us. Naruto sat on the edge of the bed, watching the blood fall from his fingertips to his lap. I sighed, taking a damp washcloth and putting it to the cuts. Naruto didn't flinch, didn't move, and barely even blink eyelids over those dull sapphires.

"...So this is why you had bandages? What are you, a cutter?" I tried to joke. He didn't laugh.

"I've got a mental condition..." He whispered. I stared up at him with little surprise. I wanted to smile when his hazy blue eyes lit up like Las Vegas. "...Well? Don't you think it's weird?"

"Sure I do," I admitted, "but that doesn't mean I have to say something. What, split personalities?"

He looked at me incredulously, but straightened his posture so he loomed over me in his tall muscular form. "...Whatever you want to call it."

I smirked and began to remove the now bloodied bandages from around his fingers. He watched me wearily, his eyes still blinking with neon. While the white unraveled, I was assaulted with little crisscross scars. His fingertips swelled from the scarring tissue, looking lumpy and abnormal. Some scars swirled delicately around and down his fingers, ending at the junctures. One particulate cut had traveled all the way around his palm and the back of his hand, looking like he wanted to slice the whole thing clean off.

"...So you really are a cutter." He frowned at me, jerking his hand back to examine it for only a moment.

"I told you, it's a mental condition, jerk! I don't even know what I'm doing half the time!"

I propped my chin up on a palm, tilting my head at him smugly from my place on the floor. "So what about the other half?"

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?" he scoffed. I took his hand back with much struggle, but continued to clean and dress it properly. The guy wouldn't stop staring at me, and it was a little nerve-wracking.

"...Wait...Kakashi said your name...Sa...Sosuke."

"Try again, genius," I mumbled as I tugged the bandage and he yelped.

"Ow...Okay...Umm...It started with an S." I almost bashed my face into the bed. Brawn over brains, apparently.

"Good job. You deserve an A+."

"Shut the hell up, Sasuke, I was kidding," he said with a laugh, "I just wanted you to stop looking so flipping pissed. If I had waited any longer, I was sure you were going to blast a hole straight through my hand with your laser beams."

I frowned. I've barely known the guy for a few hours and he's already acting like we're best friends.

"Oh come on. Don't look at me like that," he laughed again. I tightened the bandages and he shut up. Standing up, I shoved him onto the bed, glaring down at him.

"...I'd say you'd rather lie here for a while, or else you'll just cut yourself again." he pouted, but crossed his arms behind his head and smiled.

"Okay, _nurse_."

I almost punched him, but stopped myself. He didn't know any better, he hadn't known me for long enough. Plus, it just sounded like his mental condition was working itself over; He didn't sound like the guy I had just seen 5 minutes ago.

"Okay, that was really uncall-"

"Sorry," he interrupted quickly, big tan bandaged hands ruffling blonde hair nervously, "I didn't mean to say that."

I looked over his apologetic face one last time, before turning for the curtain and preparing myself for a full-forced Orochimaru attack. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"...Wait here until class is out, and we can go grab something to eat."

As I closed the curtain, I heard him give a loud whoop of victory. I let a quiet chuckle slip; he had yet to realize that a curtain was not soundproof. Orochimaru sparkled at me, waving his hand frantically at me in goodbye, while Kabuto tried to calm him.

Well, it wasn't every day that Orochimaru got to see his obsession shirtless...Unless, of course, he imagined it every day.

I returned to class with that disgusting thought, stepping behind my changing curtain to replace my pants with a sheet again. I sat on my stool, poised and elegant as ever, holding a new exotic position for the boys to ogle, looking over at that empty easel with a smirk:

All of a sudden, the class seemed boring.


	3. And A Day With Both

"So where are you taking me?!" he called out excitedly. I kept walking, going the same route every day.

"...Every day after art class, I go to a local café to meet with my...Relations."

"...You mean friends?" he corrected. I shuddered a little. I hated calling them that, like it was something everyone easily acquired with a simple 'Hi! Name, introduction, proposition'. Every person I've hung out with took major time and effort. Suigetsu took at least a month, and Karin, damn her, 3 years! And here he was...

Already at my side in a matter of hours.

"...Yeah," I replied hesitantly, "But don't...Freak out, or anything."

"Freak out? Why would I freak out? Are they insane? Because I would fit right in, you know."

I scoffed as he brought another long lost smirk to my lips. "No, they aren't crazy. Just...Yeah, they're fucked up. Don't mess with them, because they won't hesitate in ripping you a new one."

"Sounds like you're a fuckin' gang leader. I think I'll be okay with loonies."

I turned to him a little, glancing over his bright and tall form.

"...I think you don't have split personalities, you just have mood swings."

He punched at me, but I drifted to the left in a dodge. He growled at me.

"Shut up, you bastard! You make it sound like I'm pregnant or PMSing or something!"

"I don't know Naruto," I sighed, "When was your last visit to the gynecologist?"

And it was then that the game of cat and mouse began. I hadn't realized just how long his legs were as they stomped after me, or how dangerous those muscled tan arms looked as he readied some blows. I was undeniably thankful for my challenges with Lee. Without those laps and laps of running, and all those races with him, I doubt I could have kept from his furious grasp. I skidded around a corner, knocking down a trash can as I flew by, and gave a victorious laugh as he stumbled over it. He caught up quickly, though, and I feared for my life.

"...Ah...Stop RUNNING SO FAST!" he shouted at me, panting loud and dry to my ears. I smiled as I stepped it up a notch. I wasn't a track star for nothing. Thanks again, Lee.

After only 3 blocks, I dashed through the café doors, not even breaking the serene atmosphere as I scurried to our reserved table. Suigetsu's eyebrows had never been more arched.

"...Where's the fire, gorgeous?" he asked while looking out the window at the blonde stampeding his way toward the café. The albino eyed me strangely, a gaze that asked 'what the hell did you do?' I panted lightly and rubbed my forehead void of sweat.

"...Fresh meat," I answered, gesturing toward Ino, the waitress, for my usual order. She nodded and got to work. Unlike Sakura, Ino knew her limits to attraction, and quit her crush the moment I told her no, and only the first time. I respected her greatly for it.

"Fresh meat? Haven't had that in a while," he mumbled, watching as Naruto burst through and raced to my table. Before he could even shout out in defense, I pressed a finger to my lips. He closed his mouth, and I scooted over for him.

"You're being too noisy, stupid. Sit down." He opened his big mouth again and pointed a shaking finger, but slowly loosened as the restaurants ambiance took affect. He bit his lip and kept the finger pointed.

"I...Hate you," he whispered, crossing his arms and looking at the floor. His face was serious, so I felt a little guilty. I nudged him a little, but he didn't look up. I ignored the questioning eyes of the others and focused on Naruto.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of that. Just stop being insane, you're outdoing everyone else."

"Hey!" Suigetsu growled. I smirked, and Naruto looked up with a smile. I wanted to sigh in relief, but I held it.

"So...Introductions, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, staring at Suigetsu. Karin fixed her glasses and her cheeks pinked. I felt slightly nostalgic at that.

"That's Suigetsu," I told him. I would have gone on to introducing Karin, but Suigetsu was leaning over the table to Naruto, grin big and dangerous.

"...Scared?" he whispered huskily. Naruto began unfazed, that look that held no interest, but slowly, those big blue stars were widening in fear, personalities changing before my eyes.

"Suigetsu!" I cried, making him stop and turn to me. I furrowed my eyebrows and rubbed the bridge of my nose. "...Remember Juugo?"

His grin immediately disappeared and he slowly sat back down. Remembering was a bit painful to Suigetsu, but he had to protect Naruto from those jaws. Juugo was my last fresh meat. I had met him in one of my classes, and decided to take him to the café after a few weeks. I realized then that he and Suigetsu wouldn't mix. I hadn't known about Juugo's criminal record, or his mental condition, until long after the incident. I hadn't warned Juugo of Suigetsu's biting beforehand, and Suigetsu didn't even hesitate in 'greeting' the young man. Juugo, of course, then went into a violent rampage after Suigetsu, much to the displeasure of the overly-dehydrated albino. Juugo would immediately go into attack mode, subconsciously, and go about destroying anything in his visage. Eventually, he got kicked out of school and sent to a loony bin for anger management. Suigetsu feels he's to blame, and it's true, if only partially. It was really my fault for putting the two together.

"...So what can I get you, handsome?" Ino cooed as she slid my mocha latte over to me and stared at Naruto. He looked a little confused as to why she was talking to him, and as cute as she was, he didn't seem interested in the least.

"...He'll just have water," I answered for him. Ino nodded and slinked away to quickly return with Naruto's order. He took a long swig and I nudged him to release tension, gesturing to Karin.

"As I was saying, this is Karin." The said girl waved a little and her cheeks flushed. I winced a little. Was I that easy to forget, over this guy she's barely even met?

"...Guys, this is Naruto," I finished, poking at my latte with a stirring straw before taking a sip. The caffeine addiction was something I caught from my brother. The only thing in the house to drink was coffee, so I had to live with it. Eventually, it became a need, something I couldn't escape from. The sweet cocoa colored liquid unwound me in ways nothing else could. I sighed as I guzzled half of it. Suigetsu smirked.

"Feel better?" he asked. I nodded lowly, hand finding its way to my hair. Naruto watched me closely.

"I don't really like coffee. Jiraiya says it makes me too energetic," he said. I slowly looked him over, my calm demeanor getting to me.

"...Jiraiya?" I repeated. He gave me a surprised look before gulping his water down.

"My...Grandfather," he told me, "He's my parental guardian."

"So where are your parents?" Suigetsu shamelessly called out. Naruto smiled a small sad smile, and I knew we'd taken it too far.

"...Gone," he said. We didn't ask him again.

The rest of the conversation quickly lost the tension, and Naruto became active again. I would add myself in every once in a while, but it was Naruto who did most of the talking. He'd explain what he liked most about school, what classes he was taking, nothing of major interest. But Suigetsu would chime in about his classes and his teachers, and after that, his favorite places to go, his drug sprees, running from the police a few times, the things I had heard hundreds of times. But Naruto seemed interested. Karin, of course, was too interested in Naruto.

The conversation gave me a chance to take in my surroundings, something I hadn't done in years. To just sit there and look at what you had going for you was something I wish I could do every day. I could look at these people and see something I couldn't usually see...Or, maybe it was the coffee talking.

But there was the one who looked different. He wasn't like the other two, relations. He held more than that, I could tell. And when he turned to me, to look at me with those eyes that were going off like fireworks, and to smile at me like that, I felt myself smile along with him, just to acknowledge the attention.

...Naruto.

"...Right, Sasuke?" he asked. I smiled and nodded, my elbow propped against the table to hold my head up in a palm. I must have been staring, because he gave a chuckle and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you alright, Sasuke?" He shook a hand in front of my eyes, but I was too far lost. I slowly let my head slip, and next thing I knew, I had face planted into the marble tabletop. I heard Naruto give out a strange cry, and a laughing Suigetsu in the background.

"Oh my God, is he okay?" My betraying ears heard Naruto ask. Suigetsu gave a reply, and I drifted out entirely.

"...Yeah. Actually, he did better than last time."

---

"Tick tock, tick tock."

"...Tell that clock to shut its motherfucking mouth."

"Tick...Tock!"

"What did I just tell you?"

"To shut the clock up...Tick."

"So you think I didn't mean it?"

"Tick tock...Well, can't help you much, little brother. Tick..."

I felt a tug at my ear.

"TOCK!"

I flew off the bed in a fit of sheets, hitting my head with a crack on the hardwood floor. I looked up at Itachi, who was shaking his coffee mug upside down, as if he did it enough, more coffee would appear.

"...I like using that one against you," he said, glancing down at me. I lifted myself to my knees slowly, holding my throbbing head.

"...How'd I get here?" I asked as I stood on wobbly legs. Itachi smiled sinisterly and bent down to pick up my sheets.

"You rode the Gorgeous Blonde Express, I believe. Damn, do I want tickets."

"...Naruto?" I tried to clear, still holding my head as a twinge blasted through it. Itachi grinned and threw the sheets on lazily.

"I didn't ask his name, he was too sexy for me to form words. But Suigetsu told me you passed out at the café again and Blondie freaked, so he carried you here on his back. I'm a bit jealous, little brother." I rolled my eyes, walking to my closet to pull on clean clothes.

"Kisame would cry if he heard you say that," I told him. Itachi pouted in reply.

"Of course he would, the poor baby. He'd want some of Blondie too."

That's all I heard of him after I began to throw every sharp object I had in my possession at him.

---

I realized the next day that I didn't have any classes with the blonde. Then, I realized I hadn't asked the blonde just how old he was, either. The homeroom went on longer than I thought it usually did, Kakashi looking cheerful for once. I asked him, with little actual concern or interest, and he explained to me about the history teacher he had a date with the next day. When he began to go into detail of his dark skin and chocolate hair, or the things he would do with them, I quickly fled to the halls.

And it was there that I was swept up by the masses for only a moment. It took their routine minds to realize Sasuke Uchiha had entered the vicinity, and they cleared a path to wherever I stepped. I looked past the awestruck faces of nobodies, squinting to find that vibrant hair.

It bobbed its way through the crowds, in a way resembling a gopher or prairie dog, and dashed towards me.

"Naruto," I called out in his direction, and immediately his own path cleared. He looked around nervously, but quickly came to my side.

"Popularity has its perks," I soothed, his jitters not residing, "There's nothing to freak over."

"Yeah right, jerk! Like at the fucking café?" I smiled.

"Oh yeah...I remember something my brother said about you...Umm...Let me see...Oh yeah. He issued you a gynecology appointment, you pussy."

I barely dodged the punch aimed for my face, his thumbnail nicking my cheek. Everyone around us, of course, either screamed in protest or encouraged the steaming Naruto.

Not good.

Before the masses of students could close in for a death match circle, I grabbed the feisty blonde and dragged him hurriedly down a corridor, to where I wasn't sure. It was empty, but I was sure everyone would find us. I shoved him against a wall and stared him down in a glaring contest. Before I could even bitch him out for starting a fight in front of the whole school, he opened his big fat mouth.

"-Says the guy who passes out after a cup of coffee!"

I rolled my eyes and shoved him a little harsher.

"You got your crazy little brain problem? Well I got a crazy little habit problem," I growled. He scoffed.

"Sure you just don't have low blood pressure? Looks like it." One more shove.

"I don't know what it is, so let it go! I do it all the time!"

"Wouldn't you at least suspect a health problem?"

"Since when does it matter?" I shouted. He didn't answer, and that horrid look of defeat crossed his face, and I knew I was just being angry for the hell of it. I hissed out a sigh.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," I consoled as he looked to the floor, "I was just mad for you starting up a brawl right in the middle of school. I won't ever get them off me now."

"...You're bleeding, you know," he informed me, swiping at the crimson and showing it on the tip of his finger. I blinked at it and touched my cheek, feeling where his sharper-than-normal fingernail had apparently sliced me up. I watched him stare at his blood covered finger with a dangerous curiosity.

Those weren't the sapphire eyes I had come to know.

Red as the blood on his finger, opposite of the cool azure, was staining his pupils. It could have just been a trick of the eye, because when I blinked, they were that strange wide blue eyes still examining every feature of the blood.

"...Naruto," I called out. He didn't answer, didn't acknowledge, and just kept on staring, like it was the most important thing in the world.

I rethought the eyes as we switched positions, my narrow shoulders pressed sharply to the plaster wall. He was watching me like I was a piece of meat; but not like a hot guy he could have sex with. It was like I really was a piece of meat: For him to eat. He grinned hysterically and held me tight, crushing me under his reddened gaze.

He leaned down to lick the blood from my cheek, and I couldn't even withhold the horrified shudder coursing through my body. His tongue was rough, like a cat's, and it was painful against the small wound. I held my breath as he slathered it in his saliva, his fingers digging deep into my arms in case I was to escape.

Never had I been so dominated, helpless, scared, or aroused, and all at once. I could feel my legs shaking from under me, and if it weren't for his big strong hands, I would have fallen to my knees. The feeling was overpowering, and it wasn't even a real kiss. It was more like an animal greeting, except Naruto was no animal, and this wasn't how humans greeted each other. I dared open my eyes, to when I had closed them I couldn't remember, and red eyes hit me full force. They were deranged, half-lidded in cockiness or arousal, and never-ending. Slowly being drawn into them, I could hear a hearty murmur of a chuckle from deep in his throat and could no longer recognize the teenager in front of me. This was the other personality entirely.

I nearly cried out as his mouth left my cut to slide lower, first lapping at my earlobe, then sucking on my jugular, like if he sucked hard enough, all my blood would burst out of it. He dove to my collar and bit it harshly, and my legs convulsed and lightly kicked his shin accidentally. It was enough to snap him out of it, because he suddenly stopped mid-bite to stare at me with wide blue eyes. He looked around, then at me again, letting go of my shoulders shakily.

"I...! I'm so...Oh God!" He whispered to himself, sharp fingernails cutting at his hands again. I would have grabbed them to make him stop, but he was already taking a mad dash out of the corridor. Once I realized he was gone, my knees buckled and I dropped down on my ass. I was still shaken, literally, and I cursed at my legs for them to work again. I sighed a small sigh and ruffled my hair, realizing just how tight these pants were.

Life just got a little interesting.

---

I stared at that empty easel. It was bare, and unenergetic, and lifeless.

I sat upon my stool, turned to that easel longingly, and glared at it. Kakashi liked the pose; Said I looked thoughtful. But I was just sitting there, staring for all its worth.

Empty.

I didn't want to frown and ruin the detail. But I wanted to really bad. Where was that blonde idiot? Kakashi had told me how bad he had wanted to join the class, how he had even dropped to his knees and begged. And now he was skipping on the second day.

I knew it was because of earlier. He looked ready to explode. He probably skipped the rest of school after that too, knowing him. He wasn't one to let things go.

I sighed through slightly parted lips, closing my eyes for a few choice seconds, only to resume the unneeded glare at something that didn't deserve it.

That was all I could think about the rest of the day. If he was okay, if he was scared, if he thought I was the one scared, if he was worried I would hate him, if he wasn't hurting himself. I knew he would be, and I had the unbearable urge to go to his house and call him out. But realizing I had no idea where he lived, I quickly lost track of all thoughts. Damn it all!

I worried. And one could never ever even hope of getting that from me. But I was; I worried for that big stupid oaf. All the stupid things he could be doing...

I stomped on the concrete as I walked to the café. I was trying not to think of the blonde as I burst through the door angrily and plopped down in my usual seat. Suigetsu and Karin said nothing, only stared at me. I jerked a hand at Ino, who scurried away faster than usual, if possible. Suigetsu opened his mouth to say something, but I had already bashed my head on the marble. I felt like my skull had cracked in half, but I couldn't care.

"...Remind me why I try to have friends," I whispered. Suigetsu ruffled the back of my hair and chuckled.

"Can't say I even know myself," he answered. Karin hummed.

"Because it's expected of you?"

"Sasuke," Ino called softly, informing me of my drink. I turned my face on the cold marble to look at her confused face.

"...Get me two more, please, Ino," I commanded. Her mouth hung open as she stared at me. Usually, one got me out. But today I could live a little...Or stop living. Either worked. She dashed for it, knowing I'd only ask for it in bad moods.

"Whoa, Sasuke! Going to be so hurting in the morning!" Suigetsu sputtered from around his water bottle. I shook my head a little against the marble: My forehead would be bruised tomorrow.

"...Whatever."

As the cups were placed before me, and a scared expression shone down from Ino's face, I began my self-abuse.

"Suigetsu...Take me home, alright?" I said around the coffee. Suigetsu shrugged and his fine eyebrows furrowed.

"Alright, Gorgeous. But before you go, I just hope whatever's bothering you is patched up quick. Feel better, yeah?"

I nodded lightly, glancing at Karin who stared wordlessly with worried eyes.

"Don't worry, Karin. Everything's good," I consoled quietly. She curtly nodded, fixing her glasses with shaky hands.

I gulped down the scalding liquid, not caring for the temperature, and savored it for only a moment as I went to the second. Suigetsu hummed a comforting laugh and leaned across the table to stroke the side of my head softly, lulling me into dizziness. Half way through my third, trying to stay conscious long enough to drink it,

I looked up at my friends.

His fingers curled in my ebony hair and pulled lightly, slowly letting my head tilt into his hand as I began to lose it, laying it to one side. I closed my eyes, and sighed into his pale hand, vibrating from his words.

"...Sweet dreams, Gorgeous."


	4. Finally

Haha. This is the longest chapter so far! And it's the lamest. xD So don't mind it. But a lot of people asked about Sasuke and Itachi's coffee disorders. Sasuke has low blood pressure, so he has a tendency to be dizzy of faint, and sugar usually speeds that up. So when he drinks coffee, which he always has with milk an sugar, he passes out. Itachi is a caffeine addict and overuses. He has on average 5 cups a day. It usually makes people energetic and it reduces the need to sleep, but after he stops drinking it, his body finally gives in, and often, he hasn't slept in days, so he passes out almost immediately. Hope that...Shed some light? Anyway! I swear I'm going to get more Kyuubi later. JUST WAIT. Hooray for School again! ;DD

----

God, was he delicious.

As I saw the blood drip down his cheek, I knew it had to taste good. It glistened in the florescent bulbs in the hall's ceiling, and kept rolling down his fair, fair cheek. I felt that if I didn't stop it, I would lose the chance to ever taste this boy. I dove at that chance.

_**Don't, oh God, please don't!**_

I didn't listen to my other self as I forced the short young man to the wall. His back made a quiet cracking sound, but neither of us could have cared as I licked his cheek of his sweet crimson.

_**Please don't do this, Kyuubi!**_

'_Shut up!'_ I shouted at him, squeezing the bitch's shoulders. He gave a quiet moan from under me, and I smirked, moving to his ear. I chewed on it, reveling in the screeching protests of Naruto and the shivering of Sasuke's pleasure.

_**Stop this! Stop! Sasuke doesn't deserve this!**_

'_Seems he likes it, though,' _I retorted with a grin against Sasuke's pale collarbone. I bit down and sucked more crimson from his veins, the thick red delectable to my taste. The moment to savor the boy was short-lived, or course, when Naruto burst forth from his cell and into consciousness. I gave a roar of dissatisfaction as I was forced back once again. My freedom had been severed once again, and my time being outside of my cage had become less frequent.

Especially after Sasuke.

Naruto had begun to suppress me whenever I was around the boy. I found it a wise decision; meeting someone new usually did that to him. And Sasuke seemed different enough, like he stood a chance. I'm glad I could destroy it with the stunt I had pulled. But damn it all, was he mouth-watering!

"I...! I'm so...Oh God!"

Just like Naruto to run away from his mistakes, his desires, anything that mattered to him. And thanks to that, I was born.

My name is Kyuubi, and I'm only half a person.

---

This time, I wasn't woken from my dreamless sleep by my brother's voice.

This time, I was woken from my dreamless sleep by my brother's body.

"...Lay still," I heard him whisper against me. I hadn't opened my eyes, but I knew Itachi was tending to my bite. He sighed quietly, cutting out a patch of bandage tape with noisy scissors.

"...So...Mind telling me how you got this?" he purred. I wasn't fooled; He was worried, if not positively angry. I heaved a sigh myself.

"...It wasn't Sai, if you were wondering," I consoled softly. I gave a chuckle as he groaned and face planted onto my naked chest, staying clear of the collarbone. He lay there for a few seconds, relief making its way to his voice.

"Thank God," he murmured against my flesh, sighing again. But he quickly grew tense again and sat up to eye me.

"...So what the hell bit you? A dog?" He plastered the bandage to the disinfected wound, sliding his hand across it to rid it of air pockets. I winced a little and tilted my neck to the side, and his hands stopped. I finally opened my eyes to him to see him staring down at it.

"...A doubt a dog did _this_," he said, stroking the bright red hickies along my jugular. I shivered and gave another chuckle.

"...A boy," I told him. He eyed me warily again.

"What...Kind of boy?" he pushed.

"...I think to you, he was more of a transportation device."

He took a minute to think, narrowing his eyes.

"...The Blonde Express?" he whispered hoarsely, hands on my shoulders. I stuck my tongue out, but he gnashed his teeth, and I knew he would bite it off if I didn't put it back.

"Are you serious?" he asked. I nodded and raised an eyebrow.

"Why, is there something wrong with him? He...Doesn't have rabies, does he?" I wasn't really worried about the rabies. As rabid as Naruto seemed, he at least didn't foam at the mouth.

"...I have this nagging feeling that you weren't entirely consensual," he said, pointing to the bandage. I shrugged a little as an excuse, but it obviously didn't cut it. He pressed a firm hand against the bandage, and I let out a pained yelp.

"Ow! God, ow, okay! I wasn't exactly! But I forgave him!" I cried out, spurting out anything I could to make him take his hand away. It worked, and I exhaled sharply as the pain settled. Itachi seemed angrier than ever.

"What the hell, Sasuke! Why didn't you say no?" he shouted. I shrank back shamefully; I hadn't said no, I hadn't protested, I hadn't struggled...I...

"...Liked it," I whispered. That sure as hell brought his tirade to a halt.

"...What?"

"I liked it," I repeated, staring at him dishonorably, "I didn't say no, because... I wanted it."

"...Are you just saying that so I won't have to derail the Blonde Express, or are you just a masochist? Or maybe a sadist, seeing as you like to do this shit to me," he growled. I didn't answer, knowing I couldn't win against him, knowing I had done him wrong again. We sat there for a few long minutes before he leaned forward to scoop up my much smaller body into his arms silently. I pressed my head against his chest as he stroked my hair.

"...You've got to stop pulling me around like this," he began softly, "You can't believe how much you worry me. If possible, I think of you more than K."

"...Sure," I spat sarcastically. He shook me roughly.

"I'm not joking. K gets jealous all the time." I was silent. "But you know what? He's in the same boat I'm in, because he's got a little brother just like you. But he's got a dad too. And since we don't, I've got to worry about you even more than expected."

His grip around my arms tightened a little, and I tried to hear him through my loud heartbeat.

"...Do you know what you do to me, when you don't come home, when you don't listen to me?" he whispered. I wanted to nod against him, but I didn't know what I did to him, not a bit. So I only held to him tightly and listened.

"I'm not good at this, am I?" he asked tenderly. I tried to smile and chuckle, but it came out more like a sob from the lump in my throat.

"...You're doing a great job," I told him. He kissed the side of my head and ruffled thin pale fingers through my dark hair. I heard the door creak, but Itachi was still paying too close attention to me, holding me to him.

"...I wish you held me like that," Kisame sighed from the door. Itachi removed his lips from my temple and exhaled.

"You're bigger than me, K," he stated in defense, kissing me again. I suddenly felt embarrassed in front of Kisame, feeling like the tip of the love triangle. I pushed away from Itachi in a way that wouldn't offend him but would get him to stop. He smiled and ruffled my hair some more before pushing me back to lie down on my bed.

"Rest up; you don't have to go to school today if you don't want to. I'll just call Kakashi," he said, standing up and swaying over to Kisame, whose eyes were glued to those hips. I nodded and sent kissy lips to Kisame over Itachi's turned shoulder, and he only scowled at me, leading Itachi out. It left me the whole entire day to finally relax, no longer caring about school or work. But then, in its place, left the biggest, most draining thought I could ever have take over my brain on my one day off. And that thought was none other than...

---

"Naruto!" he screamed at me. I ignored it with some difficulty. I had locked my door, and in case he managed to get past that, I was leaning against it from my seat on the floor, trying to calm my breathing.

"Naruto, you better the fuck well be in your fucking room!" I gulped, exhaling shakily. He banged against the door, tried the knob, and then finally, kicked it in frustration. I could hear a feminine voice giggling and purring, making girlish flirting sounds. I wasn't prepared for Jiraiya to bring home a floozy, nor was I in any condition for it. My hands hurt too much to even lift them from the sticky splotched carpet, so when I was onslaught with the sounds of sex from behind paper-thin walls, moaning and grunting, screaming and the banging of the headboard against my wall, I had nothing to cover my ears. I had to listen to him fuck her, calling her horrible things that not even a prostitute like her deserved, animalistic grunts and cries loud throughout the apartment, and finally, her crying and sobbing and the hellish roar of Jiraiya throwing her "fat, good for nothing, cheap, ugly, disgusting, etc" ass out. I hoped to god he was done, and would go to a bar or pass out or something.

The fates fell upon me as I heard him punch at my abused door one last time before another bang from the headboard, as he threw himself onto the bed, informed me of his slumber. I would have escaped my room, if I hadn't utterly beaten myself within an inch of my life. I didn't even need Jiraiya; I did it all myself. I could no longer feel my hands; much less see them through all the gore or the dizziness that came with it. It was always my hands first; they would never draw anything beautiful, they would always hurt someone, they would never do well. And it was only justice that made it right for me to stab at them. It wasn't hard to find sharp objects in the apartment, or even guns. I had shot my hand once, but after the police showed up asking about the sound of gunfire, and the seemingly "necessary" trip to the hospital, not to mention the beating from Jiraiya afterwards, I realized it well wasn't worth it. So I took to myself to while Jiraiya was out, I'd scavenge for pencils, forks, steak knives, letter openers, toothpicks, scissors, anything. Jiraiya also had quite a collection of butterfly knives in his dresser drawer, which I would use often. But I'd have to scurry to put them back exactly as it was before he returned, or he'd "cut out my eyeballs," he told me.

My hands were the worst, though I had reopened the scars on my cheeks a couple of times, blood leaking down my face at a quick pace. I sighed against the door, closing my eyes. If I didn't pick my hands up, they were going to permanently stick to the carpet. And with a ripping sound, I peeled my gory hands from the blood-sticky carpet. Pulling myself up only enough to fall onto my bed, I coated the sheets in blood. I'd get a big bitching out for this, but I couldn't even think about caring. The only thing I could think about all day was the way Sasuke talked, and walked, and looked, and was. The way I had scared him out in the hall with Kyuubi was down right cruel, so I took it upon myself to punish my hands, my lips, which I bit angrily hundreds of times, and sliced up my tongue a bit. There wasn't much I could do about my teeth, the sharp bastards. Kyuubi wouldn't let me file those to a blunt, but I had punished everything else. Anything that had touched Sasuke was bloodied now. I was glad Kyuubi had not humped him.

'_I had almost gotten there, too,' _he told me. I shivered. I would never let Kyuubi do that to Sasuke. I doubt I could even let myself do that to Sasuke. But god, did I want to so badly.

'_So when will you do it?' _he asked. I shrugged half-heartedly. This was too fast paced. I've only known him for what, barely a week? And after the hall incident, I hadn't gone back to school, and that was 3 days ago. I couldn't face that...Face!

'_And what a beautiful face it isssssss,' _he hissed. I didn't respond, knowing he was entirely right. I was just a coward for resisting the urge to see him; I didn't think I could fall so far, but I had.

And I was going to pay for it.

---

"...So where do you think he is?" Kakashi pointedly asked. I didn't reply; I knew where he was. He was at home, sulking in his bed, never wanting to go to school again just so he wouldn't be embarrassed seeing me. I couldn't say the same, of course; My days seemed to be boring without his bright blonde head in the visage and that stupid grin on that lusciously tan face.

And of course, I was falling for him.

Head over fucking heels, and it felt amazing. I had never really had a crush on anyone, no one really looked appealing. And the select few who did turned out to be brain-dead fuck ups. There was nothing for me to appreciate in the days, years, decade, before that guy. And now that I've found him, I can't even think about finding someone remotely attractive. He's got to be the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen, and with that, no one could possible stack up.

"...Don't you teachers look into long-term absents'?" I sighed from my stool, staring at Naruto's one again empty easel. I could hear Kakashi chuckle from behind me.

"Not when I ain't his homeroom," he said. "Unlike you, my pretty; I'd call you in a second."

"-Only because of Itachi, right?" I added. He stayed silent for a moment, and he huffed angrily.

"Detail."

I cursed him with all manners of black magic as I forced my face to remain poised, unmoving, and unable to say anything further to my teacher. All I could hear was the scratching of graphite from the students around me, and he continued on without consent.

"...I'll have you know, Itachi is old news." I held in an angered retort. "Haven't I told you of the cute little history teacher?"

I had forgotten about him mentioning the date. I would have said it, but as Kakashi looked me over with his single eye, he could obviously see it on my face.

"Of course I did," he answered for me, "And the date went beautifully, thank you. I have no need for Itachi."

"You shut the hell up!" I shouted. The students groaned in frustration, their artistic focus lost to the movement of Sasuke's lips. Kakashi sighed, waving his hand.

"Break," he growled. I tore myself from the stool, ready to tear that bandanna from his head and stuff it down his windpipe.

"You make it sound like he was nothing to you," I hissed. He eyed me wearily, and with one fist tightly wound around the sheet, I brought the other one up to threaten him. "And I know that's a bloody fucking lie, so try saying it again!" He frowned, his one eye narrow and true.

"...I can't lie to that; I can never get Itachi from my thoughts, not even for a second," he admitted. Kakashi had the biggest crush on Itachi back in the day. At the time, Itachi was too engrossed with Kisame to even think of anyone else, so Kakashi was left to his fawning without acknowledgement. To say the least, it went on for years, his adoring nature never letting him rest; He ate, slept, breathed, Itachi. After a long, long time, Itachi grew uncomfortable with the attention and told him off in the gentlest way. Kakashi, since then, has tried his hardest to forget my brother. Itachi was why Kakashi became an artist, however, so whenever he painted or sketched anything, it would always end in Itachi. Itachi found it flattering, but Kisame, of course, was threatened. So Kakashi never showed Itachi his works again in fear of his life, but he kept drawing my brother like no other in secret, furthering his artistic ability until he had drawn Itachi in every position anatomically possible, and even some that weren't. It's mainly why I am the class model, because I resemble my brother so well. Kakashi had always wanted a chance to see Itachi the way I was portraying myself, and he got that chance when he had me in his homeroom, willing to take on the job, with pay. He's never tried anything on me, and I trust him enough to stay to that.

"...But I'm going to try to forget, as hard and painful as it is. I'm trying to love Iruka now," he said softly, trying to remain secretive from any eavesdroppers. I stared at him intently, still frowning angrily.

"That doesn't mean you can say that," I retorted; to talk of Itachi like that was heart wrenching. Kakashi sighed behind his mask.

"...I know...And I apologize. I can see I've upset you, and I'm sorry."

I remained silent, for the tension was cutting at me. I bit my lip, trying to think of a way to get out of the situation with a benefit. And finding one, I smiled slyly and waggled my eyebrows at Kakashi, who was dumbfounded.

"...There's only one way I can forgive you," I purred. He frowned.

"There's something you want, huh?"

"Yeah. And you're going to give it to me: Uzumaki Naruto's address."

"I can't disclose personal information to you. I could get fired."

"Well...Let's just say you're giving it to me as a friend of a friend."

He scoffed.

"And what the hell do I get out of this risky bargain?"

I leaned down to the backpack at my stool, unrolling the beige paper before his eye.

"...A little something I had forgotten to burn," I grinned out. He was speechless, of course; it was the very last of Sakura's pictures, and possibly the most erotic. Kakashi gulped, shaky voice uttering out my request: ...

"...Indigo and Main, Foxfire apartments, room 16."

---

"Fuck, Naruto," I whispered to myself.

I had to cover my mouth to not breathe in the gaseous fumes of the uncovered sewer drains. I was probably standing in trash or worse, but I was too focused in making it to Naruto's apartment to care too much. Red lights flashed and neon sizzled, floozies gave me their undivided attention, and I was glad I had strong sneakers, because the used needles and broken beer bottles would have gone straight through my feet. Reaching the apartment, after dodging my overly fair share of prostitutes willing to pay _me_ for it, I trekked up the stairs to reach his door, and out of all the rooms on this floor, his was the cleanest. I barely knocked, and I was answered by a distressed cry.

"J I C H S!" the voice screamed. I frowned, trying to decipher it. When I gave up, I knocked again.

"Naruto, it's me!" I shouted back. The voice was silenced, only to be replaced by clumsy shuffling and a body hitting the door before swinging it open to me. Before I could even say another word, he grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to a cluttered if not utterly destroyed room, slamming the door after him. His eyes were glazed over in fright.

"Didn't you hear me?" he screeched. I couldn't reply coherently anymore; being jerked around and confused did a lot to my logic.

"...I didn't understand!" I admitted. He took a shaky breath, and solved it for me.

"Jiraiya Is Coming Home Soon."

"...Your grandfather?"

A banging was heard from behind the door, and Naruto immediately froze, flattening against his slightly busted door.

"Naruto!" an angry gruff voice shouted. I looked to Naruto questioningly, but he was too freaked. His door gave a lurch as the person behind it tried to force his way in, but Naruto dug his heels into his strangely stained carpet, holding strong.

"You little fuck up! Face me like a fucking man!"

Naruto's teeth clenched and I realized he was shaking. I tried to stay still, also frightened of the murderous intent behind the door, trying not to breathe.

"...Come on, hot stuff, forget him! Show me what you got!" a whore purred. Jiraiya, as I assumed he was, grunted in reply and stomped into the next room. Realizing the coast was clear, I opened my mouth to ask billions of questions, only to have Naruto grab me by the head and pull me to my knees with him. He was leaning against his abused door, legs spread so I could sit between them.

"...What the..." I was cut off again as his bandaged hands clasped themselves over my ears. I looked up at him, his eyes quivering uncontrollably. Jiraiya was, obviously, having sex with the slut, and Naruto didn't want me to hear. I had heard sex many times, seen it too, but for some reason, Naruto kept his broken hands at the sides of my head to make sure I didn't. I couldn't move away from him; His hands were big and strong, and not only that, but being next to him after his long absence made me want to stay there forever. After a moment, I realized it must have been really horrible for Naruto, as his truthful eyes were darting around to rest in no place particular, scared and pained.

Daring, I slowly brought my pale arms over his big tan ones, covering his ears with my boney palms. He looked so relieved; I wish I could have heard the thankful sigh escape his quivering lips. And with no where else to look but forward, I could only look up at his gorgeous face. He grinned nervously, and I sighed out the tension.

"_Stupid"_, I mouthed out to him, a smile growing on my face just as nervously as his was. It was an opportune moment to further anything between us, but I had the nagging in my head that bitched out the theory of him not liking me. But he wouldn't have attacked me in the hall if he didn't, so...

"..._Do you like me?_" I mouthed as clearly as I could. He stared at me strangely, knees shifting against me timidly.

"_Of course_," he answered silently. I took it that he didn't understand me.

"..._The other way_."

He stared at me again, but his eyes were about to burst from his skull. His face grew red and his hands faltered a little. I could hear a headboard banging through his loose fingers, sobbing, yelling, and all sorts of squelching. Upon seeing my sickened face, he slapped his hands back on.

"_Sorry, sorry, I'm sorry!_" he chanted, "_I was nervous!_"

"..._So do you?_" I questioned again. He was still freaking out over me hearing them.

"_I'm sorry!_" I jerked my hands and his head forcefully snapped forward, staring at me.

"..._Do you love me?_" I asked for the last time wordlessly. His eyes refocused to my words, but he didn't respond. I shook my head lightly, trying not to move his hands from my ears.

I kissed him. It was tiny and seemingly meaningless. But his trembling lips were almost unnaturally warm and chapped against mine, unmoving. His hands slipped away and mine curled over his shoulders, ignoring the disgusting throes of sex in the next room as the kiss grew heavier. His bandaged hands gripped my significantly smaller waist and squeezed, finally responding to my actions. At least I knew I was in the green.

We disconnected, and slowly began to return to reality, listening to the fighting and screaming from behind thin walls. We stared straight into each others blurry eyes and tried to ignore it once more, but it was so loud and frightening, I couldn't hold the mood.

I tucked some of my hair behind my ear and gulped.

"...I...Like your room," I whispered, shouting dying away after a slammed door and one last creak of the sobbing bedsprings. I finally had some time to take in my surroundings, trying not to focus on the silenced Naruto.

I couldn't really see what color his walls were behind the layers and layers of drawings tacked to them. Most of them looked to be drawn in dark red ink...or paint. It was hard to tell. But each one a handsome man with unruly hair and eyes the same as Naruto's.

"...Your dad?" I questioned. He remained silent by the door as I walked around with numbed legs, looking over every single drawing with criticizing eyes. His form was still gorgeous, though roughened shoulders and lines darker than needed was deterring.

But then my eyes fell upon the sketch above his rickety looking bed.

It was me. But this picture was inked like Chinese calligraphy, lines dashed and swirling and thinned to thicken. It wasn't like his other pictures at all; this picture was on bright white cardboard stock, and not a lick of graphite could be seen on it. My hair fell down in tresses that held the lighting, and each strand was painstakingly highlighted in white, thin, thin strokes that probably took a magnifying glass to perfect. It took a lot of patience and passion to take on that kind of detail...But...

"...You keep forgetting my eyes, stupid," I smiled, trying to lighten the thick tension. I heard him stand up, and I sighed in relief.

"...I still can't do it," he whispered sadly. I felt my heart crack a little at his voice. I wished for him to be energetic on a bipolar level again.

Next thing I knew, I was thrown onto his bed. I squirmed a little as he hovered over me, watching with thinned blue eyes that made me fall in love all over again.

"...You are..." he started quietly, "...So perfect."

His larger body fell onto mine, and I gasped as the air was knocked out of me. His large wrapped hands shifted my bangs away from my eyes to mingle with the rest of my hair. He stared at me so intently, I felt my face heating and my breath leaving once again.

"...So perfect, I could never possibly draw all of you. I'm not good enough." As he said that, his eyes burst forth in pain, and my heart finally broke for him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and curled against him, head resting against his broad shoulder.

"Stupid," I whispered against his healthy tan, "I'm not that perfect."

"...It's in the eye of the beholder, then," he replied, slipping his arms around me just as tightly as I held him.

We then fell asleep. It was the first time in years that I had not fallen asleep using coffee, and it felt so good; too good. His strong arms kept me the whole night, as mine to him, and I had never felt so warmed and happy before. Naruto's hot breaths hit my pale neck with vigor, as if he was still in the moment of our first, and at this point, only kiss. I would have to fix that in the morning.

Though that was something I had hoped would never come.


	5. Always

Lawl! Apologies for the wait. School is like...PUBLIC OR SOMETHING. So. Cute boys and homework: Gotta say, it takes a lot out of you. And I didn't realize how much action and plot devices I CRAMMED into this until I reread it. Wow. A lot goes down, so it's important to like, pay attention[**Strong language and sexuality. Try not to get too horny. No, I'm kidding**

**Always by Blink-182**

* * *

_  
I've been here before a few times_

_And I'm quite aware we're dying_

_ And I'm quite aware we're dying  
_

_ And your hands they shake with goodbyes  
_

_ And I'll take you back if you'd have me  
_

_ So here I am  
I'm trying  
So here I am  
Are you ready_

_Come on let me hold you  
Touch you  
Feel you  
Always  
Kiss you taste you all night  
Always_

If it wasn't the blaring alarm clock that woke me, it was the freezing wetness at the small of my back. I shivered and reached over to turn the radio off before turning my attention to the sticky moisture around my sides. Blindly, I stroked my hands over it and held it to my blurry eyes.

Red.

Red all over; everywhere. Thick sticky red coated my hands, my back, my hip...My shirt was sticking to me uncomfortably, and I blinked up at the still sleeping Naruto.

"...Hey," I growled with my scratchy throat, "Naruto."

He didn't answer.

"Naaaaaruto," I tried again. He remained asleep.

I sat up, his limp hands falling off me. I blinked away the dizziness and tried to focus.

"...Jesus fucking Christ."

I thought the bandages were his usual attire. I thought they were just scratches.

White bandage tape was now a dark fleshy crimson, dripping into a puddle on the sheets. I fell off the bed in panic, smeared in his fucking blood. I stood there staring at him for what seemed an eternity, shaky hands burning with his life essence. I could only think of one thing that could save me:

Big brother.

With numb legs, I pounced on my cell phone, shaky red fingers trying to dial the 1 for Itachi's speed dial. Holding it to my ear, I tried to get my throat to stop throbbing and tear my eyes away from Naruto's lifeless pale body. The dial tone clicked and his voice came to me.

"Good morning, little-"

"Save him," I whispered in my aching throat, "Save _me_!"

"What are you talking about, Sasuke? What's wrong?" his panicked voice rang out in the silent room, the dripping becoming louder and louder in my ears.

I couldn't say anything at that point. I opened and closed my mouth, trying to form words, but all that came was a shrill gasp.

"Don't cry, little brother. Hold on for me."

And he hung up, beeping informing me of his departure. I hadn't thought I was crying, no, until I felt the cold tears tickle the sides of my face and along my jaw. I dropped the phone with a clatter, it's beeping now a sweet voice telling me to hang up and dial again. Along with it, I dropped to my knees, knowing they would show deep blue bruises the next day. I rested my head on the edge of the mattress, watching silently as his wrists did not stop the flow. It dripped, dripped, dripped, and dripped until I thought it would drip no longer, and then it went and dripped again, proving me wrong. This went on until I finally felt strong familiar arms around my head, coaxing me against a firm chest. Pale slender fingers gripped my hair to keep me against him, his head resting over my own protectively.

"Don't cry, little brother, don't cry."

I watched with blurry eyes as Kisame took an estimate of the damage, flipping Naruto on his back and checking his pulse, breathing, and the works. But lifting him into his big grey arms, I looked up for an answer.

"...He's going to be okay," Kisame assured me quietly, hefting the young man out of the apartment and probably to his car. I wished to follow, but my body had relaxed at the news, not wanting to stand. Itachi loomed over me with shushed words and warm security.

"Calm down, little brother. Shhhhh," he hissed out from pale lips into my ear. He always called me 'little brother' whenever I was scared or sad, ever since my birth. And it's always worked. I turned around in his arms and latched myself to his chest, giving into the temptation to cry, sobbing loudly against him. He kissed me and held me close, telling me over and over again that he was here and loved me, the things I needed to hear. He carried me to Kisame's car, where we all got in and rode to the hospital. It was deadly silent, Naruto's head lolling about when we ran over bumps in the road. Kisame focused on the road and Itachi, who he would often glance at in the rear-view mirror. But Itachi had yet to let go of me, to stop calming me, kissing me. And I sat there, staring at the back of Naruto's blonde head as it moved with the rhythm of the car. I had stopped my sobs, but not the tears. I feared nothing could stop those.

Kisame carried Naruto to the emergency room, bursting through the door and hollering at the nurses, who came running on shuffled feet. I watched from my place in Itachi's warmth as they hauled the blonde boy away on a bleached bed. I remember reaching out with shaky hands, as if I could take him back, and I remembered Itachi hugging me even tighter, whispering his love as he swayed me back and forth, lulling me into a dreamless slumber.

---

Oh, the smell of antiseptic.

It's familiar and nauseating.

I blinked open my right eye, observing my surroundings. Last thing I remember was snuggling up to Sasuke, and now I'm in a hospital.

Fuck. Not again.

I flicked my wrists and realized I was hooked up to an IV. I didn't want to sit up, because if someone was in the room, they'd inform whoever brought me here of it. Guessing it was Sasuke, I wasn't ready to face him.

I opened my eye again to find said boy at the side of my bed, black hair feathered out across the sheets as he slept. His mouth was slightly open for breath, and all around his eyes were puffy and red. He'd been crying.

I watched him for a moment longer before closing my eyes and trying to sleep again, with Sasuke once again beside me.

---

Just about to take a drink, and it was ripped away from me.

"...No more. This is your eleventh cup today," he said, sipping it himself. I frowned angrily; not now, Kisame.

"You've got to be joking," I growl, glaring at him in all seriousness. His eyebrows arched as he took another sip, watching me with amusement. I didn't find it so.

"I am so going to fucking kill you," I hissed. He took his lips from my coffee to hum.

"That's a strong threat. Sure about it?"

I didn't answer, knowing he was just teasing me. I turned away, looking over at Naruto's room where Sasuke slept soundly. I wish I could go that easily.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I was kidding," he said, holding the coffee in front of my face for me to take. I turned my head away defiantly. He shook it a little.

"...It's not like you to turn down coffee, Itachi," he said. I sighed, still not looking at the cup offered.

"...Well I'm unlike myself today," I retorted, curling tighter into the waiting room chair. Kisame was silenced at that, and I felt his strange beady eyes on me. I kept my gaze on my little broken brother in the room in front of me.

When we were just kids, mom and dad were killed in a bank robbery, ironically, the bank that dad owned. Sasuke had been there, visiting our busy father with mom, when the robbers came in. They killed everyone they saw and tore up the place looking for the cash, but they couldn't get into the safe. The police got to them before they could figure it out and they were arrested. It took the police 4 hours to thoroughly clean up all the bodies, and only then did they realize the little boy hiding under his mother's corpse. All the police could get out of the traumatized kid was his name, and when they called me, I practically ran the whole 6 miles to the bank. Getting to him, he cried for so long, I thought his eyeballs would fall out. Thinking such humorous things at the time was no place of mine; they were my parents too. After that, we were put under the care of our only living relatives, our aunt and uncle, until I turned 18, in which I could legally be Sasuke's guardian, own dad's bank, and get paid our parents life insurance, which was a staggeringly large amount, not to mention the bank was nationwide and prosperous. I bought a mansion for me and Sasuke to live in, and I work at home to take care of Sasuke. At first, Sasuke wouldn't talk to me for the longest time, wouldn't speak to anyone. After a lot of consoling and nearly a year of trying to decipher his silence, he talked with his little raspy voice.

"_Everything was red,_" he had said, big black eyes full of tears. He's been afraid of the color ever since and has panic attacks when he sees blood. He had the toughest time when he was in elementary school, when he would fall down in the school yard and scrape his knee, and scream for me to save him. The school nurse would have to call me every time to get him to stop screaming, and working at home, it wasn't a problem. I never thought of it as a problem.

And here I was, watching it happen all over again.

Kisame knelt between my legs looking up at my solemn face, rubbing his calloused grey hands across my cheek.

"...Itachi," I heard him call out. I turned my eyes to him, barely letting myself breathe.

"It won't ever get easier for him, will it?" I asked, glancing back at Sasuke, like if I took my eyes from him, he'd start to cry again. Kisame pursed his lip, biting it.

"...I wouldn't say that. Blondie's a cutter."

I hitched my breath and stared at my boyfriend. He arched his fine eyebrows.

"...Blondie must have had his reasons, and seeing as he was bandaged beforehand, it could have been an accident or not meant to be taken this far. Seeing as Sasuke likes the kid, he's either got to get used to it, or dump him on his ass...The latter kind of seems impossible at this point."

I didn't reply, biting my own lip, no longer wanting to see the two in the other room. I became aware of Kisame's big strong hands again, sliding over my arm and down to my palm, squeezing it lovingly.

He leaned in for a kiss, and I gave it to him eagerly. He slid over me, and I felt the shivering of the cold waiting room disappear and replaced with a safe warm body against mine. I grabbed a hold of his tightly fitting shirt and tugged him impossibly closer.

The only one who could possibly make me feel warm again.

---

"...And I miss your laugh, your smile...

...I'll admit I'm wrong if you tell me...

...I'm so sick of fights, I hate them...

...Let's start this again, for real."

I opened a stinging eye to his sad face, his hands playing with the IV. He apparently thought I was still sleeping.

"...So here I am, I'm trying...

...So here I am, are you ready?

...So here, I am, I'm trying...

...So here, I am...Are you ready?"

I heard him stop singing and realized he was staring at me. I blinked, rubbing at my eyes to get the fuzziness out. He shifted his legs from under me.

"...Always," he whispered to me, skipping a verse. I didn't say anything to that, but I heft myself off my stool to crawl over his prone body, slowly seating myself in his lap. I saw his Adams apple twitch as he gulped audibly. His hesitant voice pierced the silent hospital air.

"...Sorry you had to go through with this," he held up his bandaged hands and wiggled them easily, as if they weren't entirely mangled and bloody. I bit my lip as some of it soaked through the white. I wouldn't give in this time, not now. There wasn't anything to be afraid of. I inhaled sharply and narrowed my eyes.

I slapped him; hard. He tilted his head to the side, his mouth parted slightly. I breathed heavily through angry puffs from my nose.

"If you want to be my fucking boyfriend, don't go around cutting yourself, you stupid asshole!" I cried, clutching at his hospital gown. He hadn't turned his head back, or even looked at me. It pissed me off even more, so I shook him harshly.

"Fucking look at me!" I commanded. He didn't move to do so.

"..._Violent one, aren't you_?" he hissed eerily, sharp pearly teeth smiling slightly. He gave a deep hum and turned to face me, eyes flashing that fucking color. In that moment of hysteria, I loosened my grip. He immediately took advantage of it, grabbing me by the throat and tossing me underneath him. I clawed at it as I couldn't cry for help, couldn't breathe. His red, red eyes stared down at me with a gleam of triumph.

"..._Uuuuuchihaaaaa,_" he purred in a booming timbre that made my eyes water in fright. The personality I had encountered in the hall was now going to finish what he started.

"...Let..." was all I could whisper as he tightened his relentless grip. I wheezed for oxygen, but he only tilted his head in acute fascination with the way my face turned purple.

"..._I could do really naughty things right now,_" he warned, "_But for the sake of not getting caught by your big bad brother, I'll keep it to a bare minimum._"

Bandaged hands tugged at my khaki shorts, ripping them down my hips to bury his hand down my boxers. I gave a troubled breath, kicking out as I could definitely not breathe now. He let up, barely, and kept his hand there to hold me down.

"_You'll like this, I'm sure. I can only assume you want Naruto doing this to you, but he's rather distraught now. Thank you for the opportunity_," he chuckled, wrapped a course hand around my dick. I gave a harsh yelp, and he was forced to stop squeezing my throat in the fear of me passing out. I kicked out again, but his body was too big against mine.

"_Oh come on, Uchiha. You want this; I can smell it._"

He stroked up and down slowly, drawing another pitiful yelp from me. Of course I wanted it, but not from this one.

I folded my leg to the point where it slid up the personality's lap and my foot pressed against his abdomen, ignoring the warm feeling curled in the pit of my stomach and the pleasure making me dizzy. With a swift kick, I threw him off the bed, the IV still in his hand jerking loudly and falling over with a crash. He made a horrible growling sound and looked about to tear my legs off, but as he lunged for me, Kisame had come up behind him for a headlock. Naruto's body thrashed and clawed out at me, screams of rage echoing in the empty white room. I lay sprawled out on the bed, watching his angry crimson eyes call out for death.

"_I'll fuck you up SO bad, Uchiha! Tear up your bloody ass any fucking chance I get! Every chance! Just you wait! I'll rip you up so good, stitches won't even stop the blood! It'll be fucking EVERYWHERE. And it tastes like fucking candy!_" he screeched, grinning. I curled into myself as I shook, his promises doing wonders to my phobias. I slapped my hands up to my ears, pushing against them to keep his voice out. It didn't work. Kisame saw me and tried to shut Naruto's mouth, but he was holding him back from what the demon wanted, my blood. Itachi had run off to get the nurses, so I was tortured further.

"_Oh MAN! It's so fucking good! It's a beautiful red, and flows so sweetly! Jesus fucking Christ! I'm getting hard just thinking about it! Oh fuck, little Uchiha, I want to pound you until you split in half, until its red all over everything! Yeaaaaah!_"

"Stop it!" I screamed, "Shut your mouth!"

I watched as he gyrated his hospital gown clad hips and his sharp fingernails flexed at me, reaching for me. He laughed as I turned away quickly.

"_You are such a bad little bitch, Uchiha! I'll have you, and when I do, ohhhh...You'll be getting it soooo fucking good!_"

I heard him stop talking, and as I turned to him warily, I saw the nurses shooting him full of morphine. His head fell limp in Kisame's arms as he was knocked out and put on a stretcher to be taken to a more secure room. As they all left, and Kisame and Itachi watched me, I let out a loud and frightened scream, digging my fingers into my scalp until I felt it grow painful and moist. Itachi tackled me down and held me there, his saddened black eyes full of pity and remorse. I tried to gulp down the eminent lump in my throat, but it was too big and hurt too much, so all I could do was cry out for my big brother on top of me.

"_Please don't let him do those things to me, big brother!_" I cried out, clawing at his biceps. He bit his lip hard and crushed me against him. I wanted to be safe!

"...Don't worry," he whispered in a choked voice, "I won't let him."

---

Days passed, and I couldn't bring myself to visit Naruto. Even when I knew it was visiting hours, and I had nothing to do at all, and Itachi was willing to drive me anywhere I wanted to, I didn't. And even though I knew it was Naruto's other half, not my boyfriend, who had threatened me, I wasn't going to take the risk of showing up to find the deranged red-eyed demon. In other words...

I never wanted to see Naruto again.

Harsh words, yes, but it was true. My body was on reflex to run away, and so was my mind. I couldn't face him in fear of, well, him.

I shifted a shaky hand through my messy hair and let out a frustrated sigh.

Shameful.

Itachi let out a soft wielded yawn and bee-lined for the coffee pot Kisame had filled only minutes ago, knowing Itachi's sleeping habits.

"...Good morning, little one," he said after a long, long sip of coffee, smiling tiredly at me. I glanced up at him from my homework on the kitchen table for only a second before returning.

"It's four in the afternoon," I stated, finishing the calculus homework with what looked like to be ease; it was anything but. He jumped up on the marble counter and folded his legs, watching me with lazy eyes from behind his coffee mug.

"...So it is," he confirmed with little emotion, to which he might have been embarrassed or in denial, but he wasn't. It was silent except for the scribbling of my stupid English paper due the next day, and the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner of the hall.

"You haven't been to see Blondie," he commented coolly. I stopped to actually turn to him in my chair. He shrugged.

"From the documents K uncovered, the super mastermind he is, Blondie's got a split personality disorder. You shouldn't use it against him."

"You weren't there," I spat as I stood defiantly, "You didn't hear what he said."

"K told me," he answered loudly, stopping my tirade before it got out of hand. I had forgotten about Kisame being there. I cursed under my breath.

"Well you of all people should be worried for my wellbeing!"

"Just don't upset him and nothing bad will happen to you." he sipped his coffee soothingly. I felt like throwing something at him.

"Oh yeah! Not like it matters if I'm scared or anything! Not like it matters if I don't want to be raped! God...I'm just a pussy, aren't I?" I yelled, scowling at him with everything I had, "I would have committed suicide if I wasn't so-"

Hands around my neck stopped my voice.

"Don't you DARE fucking say that," he hissed. It wasn't like he was choking me, but his shaking hands informed me he wanted to. He frowned in a way I'd seen hundreds of times:

Disappointment.

He let go and ruffled his hair, his teeth clenched angrily.

"...You and your fucking teenage hormones," he growled, eyes hating and painful. I watched and waited for something else, but nothing else came. Kisame found it appropriate to enter at that one moment, sliding up to Itachi for a kiss only to be denied miserably.

"Hey, babe, what's wr-"

"Don't talk to me," he snapped, turning fully away from me to show the extent of my words, of his absolute hurt and anger. He stalked out of the kitchen with a hesitant Kisame at his heels, trying to calm my brother by any means necessary. I clenched my fists and bit my lip, my throat tight and rough.

"Fine!" I screamed out to him, "But it won't be my fault if I die!"

I stormed in the opposite direction, dashing to my room and jerking a loose jacket and some tennis shoes on. I no longer cared about what happened to me, now, with that pained look on my brother's face fresh in my mind. I wanted to get Naruto out of my head so I could apologize to Itachi properly. And as I yanked on the doorknob and flew out the door, I promised I wouldn't come back until I had faced my fear and gotten Itachi a new feeling when he looks at me:

Pride.


	6. Lonely Night

OMG DOES THIS CHAPTER SUCK. It's so undeniably whiny and sappy and gross. Sasuke cries a lot, and not enough ItaKisa! I CAN FEEL THE ANGRY CHI REACHING IT'S PEEEEAAAAK!!!! Nah, whatever. I hope the next one is better. I think. Just so you know, I'm making this shit up as I go along. Don't expect me to tell you what happens next, because even I don't know. xD

LAWL WATCH OUT IT'S A PARTIAL LEMON. I'M SO FUCKING LAZY. CAPS LOCK.

* * *

I crossed my arms and tried to bury myself into her stupidly soft red couch. She only glanced up at me suspiciously and continued scribbling on her stupid clipboard. 

"...So," she sighed out when she finished, "I can tell you don't want to be here."

"Brilliant deduction, Watson," I spat, turning as far away from her as I could. She groaned in her stupidly sweet voice and took off her red-rimmed reading glasses.

"...Attitudes will only let you stay longer."

"I could care less. I'd rather sleep through it anyway."

She stopped berating me for a moment, probably thinking of a nerve to hit.

"...You know, Jiraiya and I are very good friends and-"

"Please don't tell him!"

The room went quiet after my outburst. I stayed tense, staring at her until my eyes grew dry. She blinked at me, honey eyes observing me with all manners of shock.

"...And why shouldn't I?" she pressed, her own arms crossed over her excessive breasts. I slid off the red couch onto my knees before her, still not losing sight of her.

"...Grandma, please. Please don't tell him," I pleaded, begged. She was much older than she looked, and her old wrinkles were shown as she frowned.

"I'm no grandmother to you," she harrumphed, eyes twitching, "and as Jiraiya's good friend and colleague, I should be more inclined to tell him everything."

No. No, no, no.

I wracked my brain to think of a way to make Tsunade keep her lips shut. I felt my personalities clashing, and I was on the verge of screaming.

_Fuck her! She can go to hell! We can take whatever the fuck that old man gives us!_

_**No, no! Please no! I can't! I can't do it again! Please!**_

I clasped my hands over my ears like I could actually stop the voices. I gritted my teeth and tried to decide her over.

"...He's going to..." I couldn't even finish the statement, the voices quarreling even louder than before. She watched me quizzically.

"What's he going to do?"

"...It's going to hurt," I said quietly, clawing at my head. Right then, I thought about Sasuke, the way he did the same last week at the hospital. The way he looked, trying to stop Kyuubi from threatening him. It only made the voices angry and guilty.

_Don't think about that fuck hole! That cute little ass of his is waiting for me!_

_**Don't do that! Sasuke will never love you now! Stop it!**_

It wouldn't matter at all if I was beaten to death by Jiraiya, now would it? I'd never see Sasuke again, much less fuck him! I looked away from Tsunade down to the floor.

"...He's going to kill me," I said. Tsunade scribbled away, not even stopping as she asked her next question.

"Don't you think that's over exaggerating?" I wanted to laugh so hard, but I only let a snicker escape, shaking my head.

"I wish I wasn't," I answered quietly, pressing my palms to my eyelids and watching stars sparkle behind them.

"...Well, I know Jiraiya can have quite the temper when he's drunk, but he's never done anything remotely life threatening to anyone."

"You don't seem to know him very well, then."

She frowned, still writing. "I know him perfectly; we've been friends since we were only ten."

"...People change," I whispered.

It was quiet. I realized she hadn't written that, and was slightly curious, but couldn't lift my head up to face her. But I didn't have to, because she was kneeling beside me, her black stilettos looking painful and her breasts ever so big, staring at me intently.

"...You remind me of my little brother, brat," she said softly, falling back to sit on the floor with me. She looked out her giant window with the view of the city, sighing.

"...Always being a little fucking prophet. Thought he knew all there was to know about how people felt. Sensitive kid...You would have liked him."

Brought out of the tryst with myself, I let my hands down and had to ask.

"...What happened to him?" She glanced at me before returning her gaze to the city below.

"Died of a brain tumor at the age of 11. What was the worst, though, was that my boyfriend had died only a day before in a car accident. I didn't think I could really live after that; my parents were dead, and then my little Nawaki and what would have been my husband too. Dan was studying to be a doctor with me...He was supposed to be there with me when I got my medical degree. But he wasn't, and all I had was a stupid certificate. I couldn't save Nawaki, I couldn't revive Dan. So to get away, I got myself into psychology with Nawaki's dreams and beliefs with me the whole way. I became a famous therapist, and here I am, trying to help you with your little problems and all because of a man like no other, and a kid just like you..."

It was silent again, and she shifted, resting her weight on her palms.

"...Feel special?" she asked softly. I was a little speechless, but had to nod.

"Good. To feel anything is good. I'm sorry I can't understand any of patients. I haven't had a single person walk in here that I could fully understand, and I ask myself why I'm so famous, why everyone wants me as their therapist. There isn't anything special about me. But I changed all the people who came to me. They tell me what's wrong, and I tell them how to fix it; there's nothing about it that takes skill, or makes me different. But it works."

"...You can't fix my problems, Tsunade," I sighed out, "There's nothing anyone can do to fix them."

"You'd be surprised, kid. Lots of people have your same problems, and people with your problems get them fixed, and can tell other people like them how to fix it. It's a chain reaction in the form of society. But in this city, I guess it's hard to find help, huh?"

"Damn straight."

She smiled, her blonde hair so like mine dancing across her ears.

"You're probably the most interesting case I've ever had. I thank you for giving me an interesting job to fulfill."

"...You're welcome?" I shrugged, grinning. But then I remembered our earlier topic and dropped it. She smirked a bit.

"Don't worry. I'm not telling Jiraiya. I bet you have enough problems with that douche."

I groaned in relief, slumping against her red couch. Her painted lips drew up even higher.

"...And I expect you to be compliant with this, or else I'll revoke my decision."

I nodded my head quickly, really not wanting to be beaten again. Any questions she had, I would answer, or face the crop. I slowly laid myself back on the red couch, looking over at her expectedly. She let out a hushed laugh.

"Not that compliant; then it's just too damn easy."

I frowned. "Well which is it, willing or not?"

"...I'd like some challenge," she admitted. I huffed and curled back into the couch. There were so many better things I could have been doing.

"First question, what's Jiraiya been doing to you to make you so scared?"

"I'm not scared!" I cried, glaring over at her, "What's your problem?"

"I could tell. I've been a therapist for years and years, you can't fool me."

I huffed again, not wanting to answer less she grow apart from Jiraiya, and I had a feeling that if she left him, he'd take his anger and sadness out on me.

"Beating me," I answered quickly under my breath. She nearly dropped her pen.

"...What?" she growled. I turned away; I shouldn't have answered anyway.

"He beats me up," I repeated angrily, "If and when he gets his hands on me, I regret living...If you tell him I told you, he'll slit my throat. And _that _is certainly not an over exaggeration."

She didn't say anything, and I just crossed my arms tighter around me, huffing. Of course I didn't expect her to answer; fuck, she just found out her best friend abuses me, her little look alike brother. I watched her try to calm down, setting down her blue ballpoint with a snap of plastic against mahogany.

"...Does he...Have his reasons?" she asked in a forced voice. I tilted my head against the soft red plush cushion.

"Of course not. He doesn't even see me, and he wants to beat the shit out of me. Usually, he only catches me when he's had a few beers and the floozies wouldn't give him anything. He's quick and strong, for a drunken old fool."

"...Wouldn't give him any..." she whispered to herself before returning to me, "...Does that mean...He's ra-"

"Once," I cut in; I despised the term for it. It sounded like I was some helpless little girl, crying and screaming all the time over it. "Only once."

It was awkwardly silent again, and I scratched my elbow, waiting for another question.

"Care to explain? Would that help?"

I gave a slight nod, scowling at myself. I'd never told anyone before.

"...I don't know how he did it," I started strongly, "He's usually so slow and uncaring. But he came home one night after trying to hook a few and didn't get any. I kept my door locked all the time, so he wouldn't break in, but he kicked it down and jumped me. I could tell he was desperate; when he didn't catch anything, he'd just knock me around a little. But that time, there wasn't any going back. No matter what I said or did, he just...Kept going."

Before I knew it, slim pale arms were around me, pressing big plump breasts against my own chest. It didn't give me a reason to stop.

"...I've never felt so much pain in my life as I did, that night. I've got scars to prove it. He hasn't done it since, though, because he knows he crossed the line."

"Oh Naruto..." she whispered in my ear, arms getting tighter and tighter. I put up hands to push her off, but it was only met with soft squishy mounds. I shivered a little; I really didn't want to be molesting my therapist.

"Get off me, Tsunade," I asked softly, pushing against her dangerous chest. She backed off, but only slightly. She loomed over me in a protective manner, and before my eyes, I remembered my poor, poor mother, that same look and feel and glow and...

"...I wish you were still here," I whispered to her, the feeling of loss and grief taking a hold of my eyes as they watered. Her quiet breath hitched as I grabbed her by the waist and buried my wet face in her full bosom. All I could do was draw in her unfamiliar smell and imagine it was her, her soft tan skin and her bright red hair and her big grinning face that so mimicked my own. I could imagine her calming voice and those big brown eyes that promised such happiness. But here I was...

"...Why'd you have to leave me?" I cried out in her chest, "This is all my fault!"

"...Naruto!" I heard my mother call out, smiling down at me, "You are such a strange boy, just like your silly father!"

"Mother! Don't you blame me? I'm the cause of your death!"

"Oh no, Naruto. I could never blame you. Neither could your father. We will always love you, Naruto. Naruto..."

"Mother..."

"...Naruto!!!"

Tsunade flashed to view and I immediately let go, shrinking into the couch. Kushina wasn't there. She hadn't ever been there. I pressed my forearm against my eyes as I began to shake with sobs. The Dead Naruto was surfacing, and I realized just how long it's been,

"...Naruto," she reached out with her soft old hands, stroking my shoulders carefully. I could only cry all the louder, and remember better days.

---

19,789...19,790...19,791...

I sighed as I counted the lead paint chips I had peeled off the wall with my dulled fingernail. I couldn't bring myself to knock on his door. It wasn't that I was afraid of Jiraiya, or even Naruto's homicidal other, but I was afraid of the very boy. What would he think of me, of my little stunt I pulled at the hospital? Is he beating himself up over it as much as I am?

Gulping, I closed my eyes and shakily rapped my knuckles against the wooden door. I almost ran away, suddenly growing frightened of seeing his stupidly beautiful face. But I waited timidly for an answer, and finally got one. The chains rattled as he unhooked the lock, peeking out the crack with a big sapphire eye.

I was taken aback; all around his eyes were red and puffy from crying. I even saw a few stray tears crawling so pitifully down his face. But I immediately remembered the days after school, when he'd give me that big curious look and have it dashed when I said something hurtful, or he grew too sensitive to speak to. My heart was sinking faster than the Titanic.

"...I umm...I...I just wanted to...a...apologize," I admitted, not meeting his dreadful eyes. I heard the door creak and watched as he leaned against it, like he wasn't aware of the tears trailing down his scarred cheeks.

"...I should be the one apologizing, stupid," he gave in a quiet murmur, a soft sniff, and a quick wipe with the back of his hand against his sad blue orbs. I struggled to form words, but my lips trembled. I couldn't take it.

"Look!" I cried, "You shouldn't be blamed for something..._He_ did!"

He leaned down to me, as he was at least half a foot taller, if not an entire foot. I shrank under his piercing cobalt.

"...We're one in the same person," he said with a deep hint of anger, "I'm blamed, because it's my fault."

I frowned. They were different...

"...Then...Would you do those things...?" I asked under my breath, finding it gone. He stared at me with such strange and dominating eyes as he backed away into his apartment, sliding the door closed.

"...I would love nothing more. But I have reserve."

In a moment of fury, I kicked the door back open before he could close it on me. The knob smacked against the wall and I stormed in, pointing a shaking finger at him.

"So that's it? You're hiding behind 'split personalities' so you don't admit your fears or desires and whatever else you keep from me!" I shouted. His frown creased and his now angry eyes narrowed to a sliver. He stomped his foot loudly and I stopped my tirade.

"...You come to my home to apologize, yet you disrespect me and accuse me of lying about my serious mental conditions. Thank you, Sasuke. I think that's all I need for today." I felt in horror as he grabbed my collar and hauled me out the door. I struggled and flailed my arms, trying to think of something to make him stop.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry!" I cried out against his grip, "I shouldn't have said those things! I'm just scared!"

He finally stopped and dropped me to my feet. My wobbly knees faltered for a moment, but I finally gained my ground. I didn't have the guts to look up at him.

"...I didn't want you to be like that," I whispered, clenching my fists by my sides. To feel like this for even a little while was driving me up the wall and out the fucking window. I felt the urge to run again.

"...You don't know anything about me;" he said huskily, "So don't assume I'm like that all the time."

"But I...I want to know."

"There's nothing to know," he ended, turning away. The Naruto I had come to "think I know" was gone. This was someone else. Maybe it was his personalities fused, or...

Maybe this was the real Naruto.

He was already half way down the hall when I jumped him, sending us tumbling to the floor. He laid on his back with an annoyed face, staring up at me. I sat on his lap firmly, grabbing handfuls of his shirt in my fists.

"Talk to me!" I cried out to him. He looked at me indifferently.

"What would you like me to say?" he said after a pregnant pause, "That I love you more than living, or that I've wanted to fuck you since the moment I saw you? Whichever one makes you feel better."

"...Are you making fun of me?" I jerked him up a bit, lifting his head off the floor just to drop it back down. He nodded.

"You're the one making problems. Take it as it is, or get out." The last part was growled out, eyes angry and unmerciful. I felt myself shake as I sat on him, holding him down. I just wanted things to go right for once.

"...Stop it," I whispered, "Stop pulling me around like this!"

He didn't answer, turning his head to the right and his nose twitching out of reflection. My throat started to hurt, and I had trouble talking to him.

"...Is this funny to you?"

We lay there; as I waited for him to look at me, but he never did. Out of complete and udder distress, I felt myself cry. Not like he took notice. I stood up shakily and stalked as quickly as I could out the door.

"Wait! Sasuke, what's wrong!"

I did a 180 and stared him down. He had sat up, looking at me with...

...Big curious blue eyes.

My lip trembled as I watched his eyes dance with hurt, compassion, confusion, and love. He stood up, looking around warily.

"...What the hell?" he whispered to himself, rubbing his head, "Last thing I remember, I was watching TV!"

I flung myself at him for the second time that day, but this time, it was out of pure relief and love. I clutched to the back of his shirt so tightly. Was he joking? He couldn't possibly be serious about not knowing what the hell he's been doing to me. It didn't seem right, but my mind wanted it to be the truth, and I hoped.

"...Why're you crying, Sasuke?" he asked with a drowning amount of concern. I shook my head, wiping the tears on his shirt and turning my eyes red and puffy. I hated that feeling, feeling like I was the only one who knew what was going down, when you can't tell anyone or they just don't get it. I had nothing else to say on the matter.

"...Please just do it," I whispered with my taut throat. He stood frozen to me, his big tan hands stilled at my lower back. I felt like this was the only way to break the spell he was under. Even if having sex with him would bring out the "other", I couldn't bring myself to stop. Now was the time.

"...Godammit, Naruto, just do it," I spat, pulling him impossibly closer, groins barely touching. He twitched.

"...For your safety-"

"I don't care!" I cried out desperately, "I would never ever care if it was you!"

He pursed his lips thoughtfully, eyes meeting the ceiling. I held tight to him as he contemplated.

"...Kyuubi isn't one to just sit back and watch when it comes to you," he admitted, "He wants nothing more than to have you."

"Well..." I sighed, eyes meeting his head-on, "...If you've got me, then it's practically the same."

"He hates when you say that," Naruto murmured with a joking smile, slowly descending on my lips, almost hesitantly. I met them forcefully, giving him the reassurance he so badly needed. His familiar tan arms gripped my whole body in such a way, I felt I was just a kid again, and a simple embrace felt like I was being swallowed. I felt small and safe. I tried to do the same to him, but he was so much taller and bigger than me, my arms barely met each other around his torso. I couldn't give him the feeling of being safe.

"...I never noticed how tall you are," I murmured when our lips disconnected, while his dropped to my neck to suck big black and blue marks into it. I heard him scoff lightly, and I smiled, standing on my tiptoes so I could still hold him. I guess it boosted his ego and my willingness, because we were both on his bed in a matter of seconds. I grasped at one of his pillows as he slid my shirt up my chest and fiddled with my nipples. I was usually really ticklish, but it felt so wonderful, I wondered how he had pulled that off. I wiggled around under his much bigger body, and he twitched again. He frowned at the distraction, but laughed when he did the same as I, and I accidentally let out an excessive moan. I couldn't help it, I was a virgin. Not at heart, of course, but everything I felt was so good, it was drugging me up. I was high off Naruto.

"You okay there, Sasuke?" he purred deeply. His voice was getting deeper, and out of memory, my brain wanted me to get away. But I squeezed the arms that propped him above me and nodded shakily. He gave a soft grind, and I arched just as softly, slowly, hesitantly. His dark hands slid over my pale arms like water, feelings of love and heat bursting out in my veins. I let out a long breath I had been holding, closing my eyes in the warmth.

"...God," I whispered as he thrust against me again. We still had all our clothes on, and maybe it was fear of what was going to come kept them on. Naruto didn't seem like he was in a hurry. There was finally the distinctive snap of a button coming undone and I came back down to earth. I watched as his shaking fingers pulled down the zipper too, and my pants were open. I hadn't even realized he was undoing my pants until I felt the cool air hit my ankles, and was naked from the waist down. I, on instinct, clasped my knees together. He looked up at me with a soft grin.

"Afraid?" he asked. I jutted out my lip, immediately spreading my legs as far as they would go without breaking off. Naruto let out a soft 'whoa' and pulled them together again, if only slightly.

"Don't hurt yourself now," he laughed, running his big hands down my thighs and toward the prize. In a show of extreme lust, he gripped it tightly.

"Holy fuck!" I screamed. He jerked it a few times and chuckled.

"You sound like you've never done this yourself," he said, squeezing it again. I gave a whimper, not able to reply.

"...I...Ngh...I never...Liked it! Ah!"

"...So me doing it makes it good?"

I arched in answer, feeling lightweight and crazy with pleasure. He rubbed his thumb over the top and I bit at the pillow above my head. I had tried to masturbate many times, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. No amount of porn could get me off. And then he comes along with the sexiness I had never seen, and I got a woody when "Kyuubi" gets me in the hall. Just thinking about it made me all the crazier.

That day, I was no longer a virgin. Popping my cherry was an understatement; He blew it up with fucking dynamite. It hurt a lot, oh fuck did it hurt, but it was so worth it. I actually wanted him to take me a second time, but he was so excited the first time, he had nothing left to keep it up. So all I could do was tell him I love him, and touch him in the gentlest way, even if I was the one who needed it more. He gave his part, but I guess he had been as nervous and sleep-deprived as I had been. He fell asleep still in me, like he didn't even have enough energy to pull out, and snored into my chest. I couldn't breathe at first, but I got used to it and soon wrapped my own arms around him as best I could.

I felt even smaller this time, with his big body crushing mine in every way, and my hands still not able to meet over him, little kisses on his stupidly scarred cheek, little nothings whispered into his stupidly tan ears. I lay there staring at the ceiling as his chest pulled and pushed against me in breath. My eyes switched over to stare at his peacefully drained face, and stared at for what seemed ever, or what I wished. My pale hands pushed away a blonde chunk of hair from his cheek to tuck behind his ears. His lips twitched. I started to think too deeply for my desire, little pieces of the past telling me I couldn't do what I wanted. I felt myself choke up, trying to keep my depression down in the pit of my stomach. It didn't work, and I felt my shoulders shaking. Naruto didn't take notice, nor did he wake up as I started to cry. His snores accompanied by my sobs and the light serenade of crickets were the melody of the night. Arms circled his neck as I pulled his warm limp body impossible closer. Sadly, it was probably the only way I could fall into sleep.

Please, whatever you do, don't wake up.

Don't wake up.


	7. Lovely Morning

Wow this took forever. Well, it's not really good and not really relevant either. It's not even as long as the other chapters. But hell, whatever.

**STRONG SEXUAL CONTENT. BORDERING ON UTTER PERVERSION. It's pretty bad. But hey, it's my first actually good lemon, so go with it. SEXUAL LANGUAGE TOO. I'm a sicko, don't let it get to you. Enjoy the smut, I hope to never write it again. **

* * *

_"...You're the kid who keeps staring at me in math."_

"_I'm only 2 years younger than you."_

_Kisame huffed a little, stuffed his big hands into his pockets, and raised his nose in the air._ _It was already enough that the kid was in the senior math class as a sophomore, making everyone feel like an idiot._

"_...I'm not interested in anything you have to say, shrimpy."_

_Itachi frowned, straightening up on his tiptoes. Kisame huffed again._

"_I don't have time to waste on you. Beat it."_

_Itachi stared at Kisame, like he was harmless, like that threatening tone was nothing. Kisame was easily 2 or 3 feet taller than him. He was on the basketball team, naturally, and you obviously didn't want to mess with him. But even though Kisame looked about to beat him senseless, he opened his naïve little mouth._

"_I like you," he said. He blinked up at the tall gray man, waiting for a reaction or answer. Kisame stared down at him, his oxygen gone. He took a strained breath and tried to make sense of things._

"_...What was that?"_

"_How about a movie? I heard about this really good one with exploding helicopters."_

_It seemed like the whole world stopped revolving. Everyone around them stopped to stare, and stare until their eyes got dry, and even longer. Everyone knew Kisame as brutish, obscene, and downright hot-blooded. Girls never asked him out because they knew he was insane. So why didn't it stop this kid? And he was a boy, to top it off._

"_...Do you know who I am, shrimpy?" Kisame had to ask. The crowd that had grown considerably stepped back in fear of their lives. Itachi's heels rocked against the linoleum hallway floor. He nodded his head calmly, still looking over Kisame dazedly._

"_You're Kisame Hoshigaki, year 12, born March 15__th__ in California, America. You have a D+ in Calculus, an F in Chemistry, and an A+ in English. Your favorite color is blue, and your favorite hobby is playing sports video games. Nintendo 64."_

_Either the kid was cheeky, or he had memorized one of his life records. Kisame's nostrils flared and he grabbed Itachi's collar to haul him off the ground to meet his face. Itachi blinked coolly at the fist raised and aimed for his nose._

"_You're pushing my fucking buttons, shrimpy."_

"_That pet name isn't a good one. Try another."_

"_What do you have in mind, shrimpy?"_

_Itachi's legs dangled as he thought. Kisame's patience was at an impasse._

"_...Baby," he said proudly. The crowd disappeared in utter terror. Kisame's pointed teeth bit at his lip, trying not to overdo it and break the kid's neck. He looked pretty fragile._

"_I'm not going to go out with you," Kisame growled. Itachi swung back and forth in Kisame's unrelenting grip, but kept his composed face void of feeling._

"_Why not?"_

_Kisame wanted to just finish this horrible mishap. He dropped Itachi harshly to his feet, which wobbled a little before gaining ground._

"_I'm not gay," he said plainly, "and I don't like you, shrimpy."_

_Itachi pouted a little, his finger poking at his temple lightly in thought._

"_Will you let me convince you?" he asked. Kisame didn't really have an answer. Tired, and having a growing headache, he shrugged._

"_...There's nothing else to do," he mumbled. It was then that Kisame glanced up at Itachi's newfound smile that shimmered and proved himself a worthy experiment. Kisame's jaw hit the floor at his beautiful grin, the beam that he knew he couldn't get over quickly._

"_That was the answer I was looking for...K."_

"Good morning, star shine!"

I craned my neck so he could give me a kiss on the cheek.

"The earth says hello!"

I tried not to smile. Back in high school, I was the one trying to get fancy with Kisame. I'd say lots of stupid things, and he'd usually just ignore me. But how the tables had turned; Itachi had mastered Kisame.

"I love you, K," I said. He must have been taken aback, because he didn't respond for a moment.

"Well wasn't that out of the blue?" Kisame murmured, leaning down to press his elbows to the table like I was doing. I scoffed with little energy.

"Like _that_ wasn't?" I asked, speaking of his morning introduction. He grinned big again.

"No, it wasn't. My beautiful star shine..." he slipped his enormous hand across my tiny pale cheek and I felt myself get a shiver.

"You're very poetic today," I whispered to him with no need for quiet. His grin still sat upon his lean gray face, stroking a thumb across my cheekbone. My lips pursed.

"Don't you have work today?" I asked out of context. He barely nodded, his eyes getting soft and drawing me in.

"...But I could always ditch," he called softly, leaning forward to take my willing lips.

It was hard to believe that the roles had been switched only a few years ago. It was my sophomore year when I met Kisame, his senior year. I tried so hard, it was almost the death of me. And to think, these days, I don't even have to lift a finger for him to come running. He's there every time I need him.

And it's when I think things like that, I wonder if he needs me as much as I need him.

I arched impossibly against him. I was practically sitting on the table, at this point, getting as close to him as I could. The cold marble made me hiss against his pale lips.

"...So needy all of a sudden," he breathed against me. I couldn't answer. My mind was all K. My tongue slipped out past my lips, and just like him, he latched onto it vigorously. My brain officially shut off at that point, remembering times so like this.

"_That's not how you do it."_

_Kisame angrily pushed Itachi away, letting the much smaller boy fall to the hard waxed floor on his fragile ass. Itachi looked up at the basketball star staring down at him so menacingly._

"_You little fuck. I should have never agreed to let you do this."_

_Itachi pursed his unloved lips up at him, the man who was entirely unfazed. He slowly stood up, his unhealthy knees shaking a little. He could feel Kisame's bold beady eyes on them, so he resisted the trembles and straightened as well as he could. Itachi crawled back onto the basketball auditorium's small stage and slipped up to his lap again. The anger was still radiating off the larger man, and Itachi had to be cautious. He batted his long eyelashes._

"_You're learning something."_

_Kisame raised his fist, ready to strike again, but Itachi clung to Kisame's royal blue team jacket. His long boney fingers curled tightly around it and tugged. Though Kisame was too big for Itachi to overpower in such a way, it made him hesitate, and it was just the opportunity for the Uchiha._

"_Please close your eyes," he whispered. Kisame had never heard Itachi say "please", nor had he ever whispered in such a sad and demanding voice. Kisame hesitated again, but found he couldn't disobey those swirling black eyes pleading at him._

_Eyes closed, Kisame was waiting. Itachi didn't actually think Kisame would listen to him, so he had to wait a moment to resolve himself. He leaned in slowly, painfully slow, and felt the soft but suspiciously anxious breath of his new boyfriend against his own. Hands folded slowly, carefully, over Kisame's big calloused palms. Itachi immediately felt the different in size, how his whole hand fit snugly in just his palm, barely even reaching the first joint in his fingers. Beside the point, Itachi had waited too long for Kisame, and he clenched his fist around Itachi's tiny pale hand. _

"_...Are you going to do it or what, shrimpy?"_

_Itachi clenched his own hand inside Kisame's fist, affirming. Kisame sighed through his nose and waited anxiously once again. Itachi somehow mustered the courage to kiss him, but Kisame had already lost his patience._

_Kisame kissed Itachi so suddenly, the Uchiha almost bolted up and high-tailed it. Itachi had never had Kisame kiss him, he'd barely kissed Kisame. And Kisame was a bad kisser. Itachi was about to show him how, but the basketball star was too stubborn and proud, and apparently impatient. Kisame's dry lips molded over Itachi's sloppily, and he lurched forward, making the smaller boy curl in trying not to slip and break his spine._

_Before he knew it, Kisame had pressed Itachi to the floor under him and was practically sucking the air out of his precious lungs. Finally, with no oxygen left to sustain either boy, they parted slickly. Neither said anything for a long time because they had to breathe first. But when they gained full conscious, Itachi batted his long lashes again and faced Kisame with an open mouthed smile._

"_...And here I thought you didn't like me!"_

_Itachi's ass hit the floor and skid a few feet, the shiny gym floor squeaking in the friction. And Itachi laid there for a long time, even after Kisame gave him a soft kick in the ribs on his departure. The accomplished grin still on his pretty pale face only promised better moments for both of them._

Sounds heard from Sasuke's room broke the two men apart; familiar sounds. Itachi eyed the door suspiciously over Kisame, who didn't seem too distressed about it. Then again, it wasn't **his** little brother having sex. I gave him a warning nip, but he shrugged and continued.

"Oh Jesus! Ah! Nggh!"

Kisame tried, but only for a split second, and had to rip himself from me to burst out laughing. Sasuke was a screamer.

"Kisame, you are so immature."

He almost couldn't reply, he was choking on laughter so hard.

"Keep talking, baby! You're a screamer too!"

I shot up from my bar stool and frowned pointedly at Kisame with all my power. His laughter still couldn't be louder than Sasuke.

"Itachi Uchiha is not a screamer," I stated. He only chortled louder. I thought he was about to choke on his own tongue.

"Baby, that's denial! You scream so loud, I'm surprised all of North America hasn't come knocking on your door yet!"

Lips brought up in a scowl, I tackled him to the hardwood floor, where we rolled around until Kisame got his bearings and pinned me. I knew I couldn't beat him in strength, but I was too frustrated to care. He grinned down at me, his eyes watery with amusement.

"I remember when I first got you to scream," Kisame began, "It was your second time around!"

"Oh, shut your bloody mouth," I spat, "It was the second time because the first time, you were being a little pussy and didn't know what you were doing, even after I told you what to do a hundred times!"

"Burn," he pouted out. He shook his unnaturally blue hair in my face and I blew it out of the way. Sasuke still wouldn't shut up, so we had to keep talking to get it out of our heads. "But at least I don't scream for more, harder, faster-"

"You want to be the bottom? I can arrange that. Or maybe you never want to have sex with me ever again." I threatened, arms crossed. The wood floor was feeling colder and harder by the second. It was uncomfortable under him now, but he grinned and shifted, lifting my knee to his hip.

"You love the way I fuck you," he told me. I frowned again.

"And how do you know that?"

"Because you always say the same thing: 'Ahhh yeah! Harder, Kisame! I love the way you fuck me! Yeah!'"

I kicked out at him, and he laughed, even as it connected with his hard abs. My face was hot and I knew this feeling in my belly was embarrassment.

"Shut up! Would you rather I not open my mouth?"

"No, doll face, I love your mouth. It feels like velvet."

I kicked him once again.

"Like you have the right to talk to me like that!"

"Of course I do! I'm your boyfriend!"

I pouted one more time, and I realized Sasuke and Naruto were finished.

"...Talking dirty to me doesn't improve your chances for a fuck. Just so you know."

His grin split ten miles wide. He shifted again, my other knee at his hip too.

"I know. It's just refreshing to see you so flustered."

"How can that be refreshing?" I asked hysterically, kicking out one last time. He only got up on his feet, looming over at me sprawled all over the floor.

"You aren't bored with me yet."

I scoffed as he turned away and leapt up the stairs, glancing back at me suspiciously. He twitched his chin up, and I knew he wanted some. I crossed my arms.

"Who says I'm giving you any?"

"I've been a good boy," he answered from the stairs. Really, he hadn't been at all. But I thought I'd give a little charity; a courteous donation. I flew up those stairs at an inhuman speed, and we were at it faster than rabbits. If possible.

---

I couldn't breathe. All I could do was feel: the way I was shaking, the way he was still between my legs, the wetness all over. I could feel his breath; the one he'd stolen from me, against my hot cheeks and my bruised lips. He tried to put my legs down, but I held them bent and trembling at his hips. "Let me breathe!" I would have liked to say, bur then again, I couldn't find my voice.

"...God, Sasuke," he whispered breathlessly into my ear. I trembled again, while he was still tucked softly inside me. I didn't want him to leave. He shifted, and I held on that much tighter.

"Sasuke, I got to pull out, baby," he said with a tired grin on his beautiful lips. I opened my mouth to speak, but all that came out was an incoherent moan. I liked the way he called me "baby". I can think of someone else who feels the same.

"Come on, you got to let go, baby." I really didn't want to, but seeing as he felt the need to, I did, releasing him hesitantly. He groaned as he slid out, white following him and pooling messily on the sheets. It was disgusting, and I squirmed and moaned in discomfort. Naruto took the sheets from under me, cleaned me up a little, and threw it in the clothes basket. I was still leaking, and it was disturbing me to no end.

"Naruto," was all I could muster from my raw throat. He turned to me quickly, and he smugly smiled before leaving to my conjoined bathroom, emerging with a hand towel.

"Sorry, baby. I don't know my own strength."

I would have loved to scowl, but everything ached so badly, I could barely blink as it was. Naruto was telling all truth.

Last night, after having lost my virginity at Naruto's apartment, he, being slightly more out of character than usual, decided it wasn't safe there, so he drove me back home. Itachi was fuming, and gave Naruto the talk of the century, but he gave Itachi the rebellion of the millennium. Afterwards, we did it again.

And again and again; in the bathroom, the kitchen, and even Itachi's room (But that will remain a secret from him eternally).

Naruto pressed the damp cloth against my ass, and I gave a loud cry. He withdrew apologetically, and gave a less abrupt approach. He gave a weary smile.

"...You'll be feeling this for a while," he told me. I nodded dumbly; of course I'd feel it for a while, a long while. This had to have been the tenth time we've done it. Today. And it's only 9 in the morning.

"Don't press so hard!" I snapped hoarsely. It hurt to talk, it hurt to move, and it didn't help that he was trying to shove that coarse towel up into me. He raised his eyebrows and his shoulders in an apology. He lifted my still numbly twitching legs over his shoulders so he could get at it better, but I only found myself red-faced and trembling.

"Naruto...Don't look like that."

He looked up adorably with his cerulean eyes, arching a single brow.

"What are you talking about?"

I pursed my lips together, not intending on actually answering. He looked down, and after a second, let out a hearty laugh.

"...Are you getting turned on by me doing this?"

"Damn it, Naruto, you look so sexy!" I blurted out, crashing my head back onto my pillow. I could hear Naruto laughing still, his amusement vibrating through my sensitive skin from my toes to the hairs on my head. He shifted up a little, letting me feel his excitement too. I looked up hesitantly, and there he was: staring down at me with those starry eyes and his flattened blonde spikes, those six deadly scars and that beautiful full-toothed grin doing wonders to my hard-on.

"...I can say the same about you, baby."

And that was it. That was all it took for me to want it all over again, the ache, the excruciating pleasure, and the skin tearing pain, rolled up into one sinful act of love that I never thought I'd experience with a man in the first place. Funny how things work.

"Please...God, please, Naruto!"

"Holy shit, Sasuke, you have got to shut your pretty mouth, or I might just cum right now."

I arched up, giving in and letting him fully have my already taken and bruised body once more. It was either from my formerly dormant libido, or my absolute love for this guy. I could really vouch for both.

I didn't need preparation, of course. Doing it this many times, you'd think it'd stay the same forever. But when he entered me for the eleventh time this morning, I was still full of his cum, and it dribbled out and onto him. I felt him shiver and moan, as I did myself, and then we got to it.

Fast, hard, I wasn't really conscious for it. I was on autopilot, and all I thought about was the near unbearable pleasure racing behind my eyeballs. I bounced on his lap as quickly as my body would let me, which apparently wasn't enough, because I felt Naruto's hands clawing at my hips to make them go faster. I was too slow for him, so he tossed me down on my back and fucked me the way he wanted to. I was shoved back and forth over the satin sheets, the friction heating up my sore spine. Naruto was hitting me up hard, pounding me down at an inhuman pace, his teeth sliding down my neck as his hips slammed against mine. My hands had no where else to go but his biceps, to keep me down to earth, no let myself know that this was Naruto doing this, and I loved it.

"Oh Jesus! Ah! Nggh!" I screamed out, forgetting all about Itachi and Kisame, and it being early in the morning. I thrust my own hips up to meet him, and he gave a loud groan himself. He sped up, grunting louder and louder as he got closer to completion. At that, he grabbed my hard, wet arousal between us, and gave it timed jerks. My knees gave a lurch and angled themselves closer to my chest as he did it, letting me take him deeper, letting him fist me better. Finally, we came together, cries of bliss ripping from our bloody lips, his hips slamming down into me a set few times and filling me to the brim again with his essence as I splashed my own on our stomachs. I was too full, and my sensitive insides made me start squirming again.

"Oh God, Naruto!" I cried out for him, arms trembling as they reached out for him. He leaned forward so I could embrace him, as his flagging penis was still nestled deep inside, relishing in the movement of my quivering bowels. I felt his cum gush out, and I gave a flinch of utter discomfort.

"...Naruto," I whined. He sucked tiredly at my collarbone, thrusting inside me a little to make me squeak out in surprise pleasure. I shifted, and more of it spilled out.

"It's so gross," I whispered into his blonde hair, trying to close my legs together. But he lay splayed out in between them, kissing and licking all up my neck. He nipped at my jaw.

"Let it go, baby."

"What? Of course not! It's disgusting!" I tried my hardest to speak loudly, but it came out raspy and not too convincing. He smiled against me, his lips hot on my skin.

"Come on. I've got a towel under you. It's not going to get messy."

I stared at him incredulously. There was no way I was going to let all that cum spill so freely everywhere.

"You're kidding."

"No," he said with a soft amused sigh, "I'm quite serious. I want to see how good I did."

"Well enough! You need no more evidence!"

He sat up quickly and smiled sinisterly, grabbing my knees and pushing them down to my chest, pulling them as far apart as they could go. I gave a panicked cry.

"Stop it! Let go!"

"Baby, if you aren't going to do it, then I'll make it."

With a terror-stricken brain, I attempted to wiggle my way to freedom with as much dignity as I could retain. No such luck, and I struggled harder. But he kept my legs up, letting him see all he had done. He inspected it with tentative eyes and smiled wider as his hands slid down to my ass and began to rub his palms in circles over the sensitive red skin. I could feel myself ready to burst. I gave another pained cry, shoving at his arms.

"Isn't it enough for you? Stop this, please!"

Too late: The cum squirted out all over the towel, and I gave a shrill moan as it dribbled out. I didn't know Naruto could do it so much so many times. But there it was, flowing down my ass, the opaque goo streaming out quickly. I felt filthy and repulsed, with it starting to chill on my skin. Naruto was interested enough, swirling a lone finger in it amusedly, smiling over at me innocently. I tried to sit up on my elbows, but more of it spurted out, and I flustered at Naruto's laughing eyes.

"Stop this! Have I not gone through enough turmoil?"

Naruto continued to laugh, and maybe it was my slightly damaged brain, but he got even louder. I frowned, but he kissed it away quickly.

"No, baby, you got me wrong. Seeing you like this makes me want to do it again."

Sex crazy. That's what we were. I gave a groan, tossing my head back tiredly.

"I think I've finally had my fill." Naruto snickered behind his hand.

"Pfft. Quite literally!" I punched him lamely in the shoulder and made to sit up, but a painful throb stopped me in my tracks.

"Hey, baby. You okay?" he asked, hands sliding up and around my back. I gritted my teeth and scooted to the edge of my bed painfully.

"Your hips are made of pure titanium, Naruto."

He grinned sheepishly, scratching absently at his red cheeks. He was proud of his workmanship.

"Sorry, baby. Here, let me help you to the bathroom."

He stood me on broken legs, wobbling and swaying. Shrugging, he took me up bridal style and carried me easily into the linoleum tiled bathroom and set me carefully on the toilet seat. I watched as he twisted the knobs of the bath, scalding water bringing a fog of hot mist and sheens of blur to the mirror over the sink. A smile twitched on my lips as I watched him still, his eyes dedicated and his hair growing flatter in the humid air. His tan biceps flexed as he adjusted the temperature, his cute button nose twitching trying to breathe, and his ciel eyes drooping contently. I felt myself opening my big mouth; I could feel myself saying the words I had dared even think. But I said them, and without regret.

"...You know, we haven't done it underwater yet."

And he just smiled at me.


	8. Break Up Day

Okay. My internet is busted. Soooo, I did the rest of the chapters, and am posting them all at once at a friend's house. This one's really short, but the next one is a lot longer than usual. Like I promised, it's ten chapters!! YES. I totally rushed this, so sorry. Thanks.

---

Waking up in an empty bed wasn't really a new thing. It wasn't expected, but it wasn't a surprise either. I had slept all alone for 17 years, and just now had I expected to wake up to a handsome sex machine snoring away, and that same assumption was dashed.

I attempted to sit up, inhaling sharply and pushing my palms flat against the sheets as leverage. But my shoulders were weak, so I had no upper body strength. My hips weren't going to get me anywhere either, and I knew it.

"Naruto," I whined loudly, eyebrows knitted together in frustration. I turned my head to the slightly ajar door, waiting for Blondie to show his vulpine face, but nothing came.

"Naruto!" I whined louder, almost a growl. Still, the door remained creaked open, and no cheery tanned face peering in, grinning at his distrustful joke. I wouldn't have found it funny anyway.

"I swear to God, Naruto..." I started. Saying it was a threat all by itself, so I didn't continue the statement.

But nothing happened.

"...What are you bitching on about?"

I jerked my head quickly to the bathroom, where Naruto was folding clean washcloths over the towel rack. I frowned up at him.

"Why didn't you answer me the first two times?"

He scoffed out a laugh, muffled by what I soon realized was a toothbrush.

"I thought you'd be angry about me not being in bed with you."

I scoffed myself, crossing my limp arms over my chest. I wasn't about to admit I was mad at him for it, I was better off thinking of an excuse.

"No, moron, I wasn't mad about that. I'm mad that I'm paralyzed from the waist down."

I watched amusedly as he swallowed his bright orange toothbrush only to choke it back up and splatter toothpaste foam all over the marble countertop. He coughed loudly, frustrated, as I just kept laughing.

"...It's too early for you guys."

I turned to Itachi and Kisame, peering in the cracked door with tired angry eyes. I slapped a hand over my mouth, cursing me and my blasted mouth.

I had yet to tell Itachi about my risqué bedroom tango with Naruto. But at this point, and seeing me naked under those thin blue sheets, Itachi must have caught on. His pale boney hands curled over the brass doorknob and opened the door with a creak.

"Sasuke, you need to keep your mouth shut. We could hear you down in the kitchen all last night and this morning."

I opened my mouth to apologize, but I was so speechless I was, well, speechless. He tossed his hair, the tips stroking Kisame's cheek unintentionally, and gave me a strange look.

"Now Kisame's never going to let it go: We're screamers." Itachi sighed angrily and Kisame heartily chuckled. "I could tell you had fun. You okay?"

I was still trying to find words to fit in my mouth, much less my head. I slowly raised my trembling knees so I could curl them to my chest.

"...It hurts a lot," I said quietly, uncomfortable under all their eyes and my sides' unrelenting throb. Itachi nodded curtly, turning on his heels.

"I've got some pills that work magic. Hold on, little brother."

And they were both gone, leaving Naruto standing in the bathroom and I sitting wearily on the edge of the bed. Naruto's hips swayed unintentionally as he stood more comfortably, eyeing me slyly.

"...It really hurts that much?" he asked under his breath. I nodded my head a little, my spine not cooperating.

"...When you do it every which way, everywhere you can, as fast as you can, I'm surprised my ass isn't bleeding out pints by now."

Naruto flushed and pouted, shifting his weight against the doorframe again. I straightened a little and smiled at him.

"I'm kidding, it's okay!" I reassured his weariness, "I liked it."

Naruto began to speak, but Itachi came back with three yellow pills and a cup of water, Kisame shuffling right behind him. I took it thankfully and swallowed them. It left a bitter aftertaste, but Itachi promised it would help.

"Try to get some rest, too. I can only guess how little sleep you've gotten."

I felt my cheeks get hot, and nodded slowly. "...Thank you, big brother."

He nodded too, taking Kisame by the hand and leading him out.

"...I hope Naruto doesn't wish for anymore. It's more than I need to hear," he said as he left. Naruto choked on his own tongue, his face as red as my own. It was enough that Itachi had heard, but with him telling us to be quiet, it was harder for me to keep my composure. I slowly lay back down, a smile on my broken lips. The bed dipped as I felt Naruto crawl over and lay on his side. I turned to him and was met with a heartwarming grin and a soft tan hand resting over mine, smoothing little circles into my pale skin. He leaned in for a kiss, and I eagerly accepted it.

And it was then that I lay back on my pillow, staring over at him as he was doing the same with me. His larger honey hands fully engulfed my boney cream palms, and I smiled wider.

"I love you," I admitted quietly, squeezing his thumb. His sapphires twinkled and his grin grew ten miles wide.

"Yeah...I love you too, baby."

There's never a happy ending.

We lay there silently, breaths coming in soft hums in the brisk air.

"...You've changed," I said. He arched a slim blonde eyebrow at me.

"...Really?"

I nodded. Quickly, I realized how strange he had become compared to when I first met him. I wondered where his shy nervousness had gone, or the innocence twinkling in those sky eyes. And then...

"...What happened to Kyuubi?"

He gave me a strange face. Confusion etched his whiskered face. I watched in horror as he said the words.

"...Who's Kyuubi?"

---

After I got that answer, I let the subject go. It scared me, wondering what happened to his alter-egos. But seeing as he told me nothing else, not remembering a single tidbit of info, we went on like I never even asked.

We held hands when we were in public. It was possibly the most exhilarating thing I had ever done. People would look at us funny, and we'd return the gaze. It was like everything was okay, and it would always be like that.

"...I guess this is romantic," he had said, lying under the midnight moon. The pond had shimmered so beautiful that night, and the grass we laid upon was damp with dew. And his tan scarred face was pale as I in the moonlight, making him look angelic and pure, like I'd always known he was.

"...I guess," I echoed. We had stared at the white dots scattering the navy sky, and we even mistook a few for helicopters. I could hear the ducks on the pond flapping about as they tried to sleep, and Naruto's steady breaths beside me.

"...Who's that guy you asked me about?" he had asked. I turned back to the inviting stars.

"...Someone I used to know," I had answered. And we left it at that. I had hoped it would be done, but I knew it would come around eventually; Just not now.

The moment was beautiful.

"...You look even paler than normal, baby," he had said, shifting those blues to me. I turned to him in return, looking over his own face.

"Well not like you aren't either."

He smiled bright in the white light and rolled his head over for a soft kiss, which I was only happy to give him.

As far as teenage hormones went, we did it right then, under that big morning moon, on the cold wet grass and ignoring the ducks making a fuss at us. It was so romantic, I felt gayer than ever, my face flushed red. I knew we'd probably never have a perfect moment like that again, so I savored every little bit.

We went back to school eventually. It's not like we really missed any of it. It turned out; most of the time we had skipped was fall break, so we had only been gone for 4 days on the school record. All the better, because I still had to keep my position at the top of all my classes. Naruto didn't really care, so it was all okay once again.

That was before we were torn apart. And we would never meet again, or so it seemed.

---

It all started when Kisame was a few minutes late with Itachi. Of course, Itachi bitched him out for it. But then it started getting later and later, and one night, Kisame didn't even come. I'd never seen Itachi so upset.

"...Do you think he's tired of me?" he had asked me. And I was taken aback. Itachi had never sounded so sad, and I always knew him to be stronger than me. But there he was with his arms shaking as he practically hugged himself, his poor black eyes quivering.

He loved Kisame. He was his high school sweetheart, and they've been together ever since I was just a little fourth grader. 7 years have passed, and only now does it come to a crashing halt?

"...He loves you so much, I'm surprised he lets you get out of bed in the morning," I told him. He gave me a weary little smile and an unsure nod. I guessed that was as much as I could get out of him, so I wrapped my arms around him securely, the way he would always for me. I realized just how tall I had gotten over the past year; so much I was bordering Itachi. But I gave his sides a squeeze and felt his thin little frame twitch under my hands. He had gotten skinnier, paler, and looked even more sickly than usual. That was what love did, I guess.

"...Don't you worry, big brother," I had almost laughed when I said "big", seeing as he was slightly smaller than me at his point. "He'll come back, and things will only get better. Everything will be okay."

It took him a split second to fling his arms over my shoulders and grasp me so tightly. His lithe frame had started to tremble.

"He promised he'd be here every day. Every day!" he cried loudly against me. It wrenched my heart, watching him tear himself up like that. I could see the doubt and the failure in his pure ebony eyes as he reminded himself of his loneliness. He was slowly killing himself.

I had to act like the older brother for the first time in my short life. I had to hold him as he cried, and comfort him with little nothings. He was undeniably grateful, and kept telling me how much he loved me.

It was that night that I would never forget.

But it was short lived, because a week later, Kisame came back.

Kisame had shown up in the middle of the night, and I had woken to them yelling. I had hidden out on the staircase and watched without their knowledge. Kisame had been dressed in a suit, and not any suit; Armani.

"What have you been doing to yourself, Itachi?" he asked angrily, holding him by the wrist and inspecting the rest of his boney body. Itachi wasn't strong enough to throw him aside anymore. So he stood there and reluctantly took it, his sad lifeless eyes darting across everywhere nervously.

"You broke your promise!" he cried out hoarsely. And out of a strange burst of uncharacteristic anger, he grabbed Itachi by the shoulders and shook him. Itachi limply jerked back and forth.

"I broke it so you would leave me!" he said. I was intrigued. Why would Kisame _want_ Itachi to break up with him? Apparently, Itachi had the same question, but he showed it through a confused expression. Kisame sighed gruffly and closed his eyes.

"I'm moving," he said quietly. Itachi was breathless, so he continued. "I've been promoted to a really high position, but I can only work in Los Angeles. I either move, or I lose my job."

Itachi bit back quickly, or as quickly as such a sick man could. "What? I have all the money you could ever need! If it's money you need, I can give it to you!"

His pure desperation was hitting at Kisame's heart, and I saw him quiver before he controlled himself.

"...I'm tired of relying on you to live life. I'm tired of just cruising through life without a real meaning. I love you Itachi, God I've never loved someone as much as I do you, but I have to do this, or I can't live with myself."

Itachi was still trying not to panic, his breath uneven and failing. His eyes darted faster.

"...You can't be serious. I need you!" Itachi grabbed at Kisame's suit with his weak little hands. Kisame just grasped those hands and squeezed.

"I'm sorry, Itachi...This is why I wanted you to break us off like you said you would. If I didn't show up every day, you'd break up with me. And I thought you would stick to it, but I see you now, and you've only been killing yourself. Please don't do that to me, Itachi."

Itachi had choked back a sob in anger. "Don't do that to _you_? And what the hell are you doing to _me_? Do I mean that little to you?"

"You obviously don't get it, Itachi. I need to have something other than you to live for. I'm not going to spend the rest of my life lounging around your house living off your money. I have to do this."

I watched as Kisame brought Itachi's trembling hands to his lips and kissed them in a heartfelt farewell before slowly walking to the door. I remember the clacking his new leather shoes made against the polished marble floor, and the final click of the door. That was the last time I saw him.

Or so I thought, again.

Itachi had dropped to the floor in sheer stress and bodily exhaustion. I rushed to help him to his bed, and failed to spot the little white business card on the table that I now realize was Kisame's job in L.A.

---

It only got worse from then on. Itachi wouldn't get out of bed for at least a week. I got a little satisfaction in making him eat, but he only ate a tablespoon a day and I had to sit and watch as my brother starved himself.

Then, I thought I had gotten through. Itachi had started to eat in meal portions. It wasn't 3 a day, but at least it was working. Eventually, he was regularly eating and getting up to walk around the house. He refused to speak to me, to anyone. He stopped receiving calls from the bank, and I told him he was on vacation.

But one day, I was sitting at the kitchen table reading through a newspaper when Itachi showed up. I asked him what he wanted, but of course, he didn't answer me. He briskly walked over to the phone and picked it up, dialing numbers. I stood up in fascination as my muted brother put the phone to his ear and waited. I couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, but I wanted so badly to hear my brother's voice.

Finally, the other side answered, because Itachi spoke.

"Yes, this is Itachi," he said, his first words in over a month and a half. "...Yes...Yes...But I have a request."

I watched with big eyes as he pulled out a little white card from his pocket and examined it. I knew where this was heading, and I listened in horror.

"...I'm moving to Los Angeles, California. United States of America."


	9. Californication

"Sir, your mail is here."

I swiveled my chair to look over at my mousy assistant. Jenny was her name, and she was only 20 years old. She wore her hair up, had little black glasses, and looked mature for her age and figure. It was almost hard keeping the office in order, with all the men being drawn to her desk. But that's why she wanted to be my secretary in the first place.

She knew my preference.

"Thanks, Jenny," I sighed, sipping from my nostalgic coffee. Her green eyes flickered as she used her middle finger to fix her glasses.

"...Is there anything troubling you, sir?" her little voice questioned. I swiveled in the chair again and groaned.

"...I forget why I came here," I told her, glancing out the window-wall at the city below. It was dull and gray, with streets littered with the wrong kind of people that could only survive in L.A. It was dirty and disgusting; but I was born here, and moved to Japan when I was just a little bugger. Only now do I realize how wonderful that place was.

"...Is this about your boyfriend, sir?" she quickly took a seat in a chair before my desk and I almost laughed at her. Her interest was a little unnerving.

"I guess you could say that," I said. She wiggled in her chair and stared at me with sparkling emeralds, waiting for more. I gave it to her.

"...He was beautiful," I started, staring at the ceiling. "Kind of little, like you. But he was bossy and demanding."

"Is that why you left him?" she asked. I stared at her with slight malice, but of course she didn't understand it. She snapped her mouth shut.

"...No. I wish I hadn't left him at all. I wish he could have come with me. But he was never any good at English, and I doubt he'd like it here. He also had a large corporation to run, and a little brother to take care of."

"...But don't you have a little brother too?" So many questions.

"...Yes. He stayed back in Japan with my dad. But Itachi's parents are dead, so there's no one for Sasuke except him."

"So why did you leave him, sir?"

"...Because...I needed something to do other than lay around Itachi's house. I didn't have something to live up to. And now I do."

"Why didn't you take a different job?"

"Because this one was favorable, and could lead me to better places, higher status. And now that I'm up at the top, I want to go back down."

I stopped, my lips clasping tight and my eyes glancing to the window again.

"...But there's really only one thing I want...And I've lost it."

---

"You've got to be kidding."

He slowly turned, looking me over with dead black eyes. He didn't say anything, just like the months before, and just kept staring at me. I was still standing, but my knees were getting shaky.

"...California?" I rasped, my emotions running rampant. Naruto and I had just started getting back into it, and now we had to break up? I was at the top of school again! I was more in love with Naruto than I ever had before!

"Leave me!" I cried. "Leave me here! I can live with Naru-"

He thrust a finger at me and I shut up.

"I promised." His broken voice had to regain momentum. "I promised I would protect you." He turned to look out the window. "And I am."

"This isn't protecting me! You're doing this for your own gain; it has nothing to do with me at all! I'm old enough to care for myself!"

He took a slow breath.

"...You're never old enough," he said. "You think you can...But you can't."

I grew angrily frustrated, and I almost thought about taking a swing at him. But I snapped back, and looked him over. His frail skinny legs could barely support the rest of him, and his pointy kneecaps trembled under the strain. His hair had become frizzy and had lost its gloss from lack of care. Eyes the color of oil were low-lidded and tired, and his cheekbones could be seen from malnutrition.

You're never old enough to care for yourself.

I didn't have a comeback. I couldn't ever think of hurting him at this point. He blinked with a sleepy visage, and filled his lungs with air.

"...That kid isn't any good," he told me, his voice only getting worse and worse; I could barely stand listening to it. "Don't tell him you're going."

"What?" I screeched, my anger coming back full force.

"...I have a bad feeling about him."

"First you're making me leave to some other country, and now you won't even let me say goodbye to him! Protect me, my ass!"

And I ran. I blasted out of that kitchen before I could think of hitting him again. I didn't want to see my broken brother anymore, didn't want to see those sad eyes asking me things I could never comply to. It was too hard.

---

From then on, I didn't talk to my brother. But he would occasionally say something to me along the lines of "We're leaving in a week" or "Don't say goodbye". I wouldn't answer, because I'd just get angry at him for saying it.

Only a day left until we left, I went to Naruto's apartment. I had learned the secret knock for when Jiraiya was over or not, so I had rapped in our special order. I heard the lock click, and there was his big blonde head with the gorgeous blue eyes, and his ten mile wide smile.

"Sasuke!" he had exclaimed happily, flinging the door open to me. I found myself becoming nostalgic, of how I would miss him smiling at me like that. I looked over at the couch, the one we did it on just last week. And I looked over at the kitchen, where we did it on the countertops. As I looked around, there wasn't a single place where we hadn't done it, and it made me feel all the worse.

"What's with the little surprise visit, baby?"

Baby; I would miss that the most. I turned around to him, his tall back leaning against the closed door, muscular arms crossed. I grew depressed, and I wrung my clammy hands thinking of how to tell him. But his cerulean eyes distracted me, and his tan skin looked so warm, I wanted to touch it. I gulped, and he eyed me wearily.

"...Is there something you want to tell me?"

"...I..." I stopped, feeling nauseous and dizzy, "...I'm moving."

Next thing I knew, my shoulders were in his grasp and his big blue eyes were gaping.

"What?" he cried, gripping me tighter. I nodded, my face turned away.

"...I'm leaving tomorrow."

"...No! No, no, no! You...You can stay here! With me!"

"I have to go," I told him, "I have to go with Itachi."

"...Well...If...If it's still in Kyushu, or maybe even Hokkaido-"

"California," I choked out. He didn't say anything for a while.

"...What?" he whispered. I angrily jerked my head up, feeling cold tears on my cheek.

"California! America! I'm moving to America!" I screamed at him. He was silent, as was the apartment. All that was heard was my little sobs and sniffles. His hands grew loose and they fell from my shoulders as I leaned up to kiss him softly, or as softly as I could without choking up again.

That was our last kiss.

And I touched his face for the last time; the golden skin was as warm as it looked under my pale fingers. And his lips were still so chapped.

"...Good bye," I whispered over his held breath. He made no move.

I couldn't take it anymore, so I walked quickly to the door just behind us. But as I clicked the lock, and then turned the knob, my whole body was smashed against the door with a strong tan hand over mine. I stared into the wood pressed against my cheek, and could only listen as that long lost voice sharply cut through my eardrums.

"...No one said you could leave yet..._Baby_."

---

I felt my hands slip off his shoulders and to my sides. Sasuke was moving to America, a place I could never afford to go to. I watched as he leaned up for a kiss, his cold white hands on my cheek and his soft pale lips on mine. I could still see the little tears on his face, feel his lithe body tremble as sobs attacked his lungs and escaped his lips to my own.

"...Good bye."

He slipped around my frozen body. But it was then that time started to slow, and my head started to burn. A deep muffled sound kept booming, and as I concentrated I realized it was a voice. The deep angry tone could be heard brokenly, only a few words at a time.

"...Going...Get...Quick...Fucking get...Will pay for this!"

"Who are you?" I asked, looking around. Everything had gotten blurry and red, and I looked to where the voice was coming from. I couldn't see anyone.

"...Hear me...Finally?" It asked.

"Yes, I hear you! Who are you? Where am I?" I called out. The voice laughed heartily, and it was then that I saw someone. They were still blurry, but I could tell he had really red hair and all black eyes. I took a step back, but he took a step forward. Everything became clear as he smiled at me charmingly, and the empty room with red walls became solid.

"...Crazy kid!" he said, deep voice betraying his face. He didn't look a day older than me. "You trapped me! I'll give you credit."

"What are you talking about? Who are you?" I asked again. He craned his tan neck to reveal even more red hair, blaringly spiked and messy.

"...This is all in your head, you know. You created me. But after little miss bitch over there moseyed into your life, you locked me up, so of course you don't know me."

He displayed his clawed hand proudly.

"The name you gave me is Kyuubi."

I eyed him wearily but slowly took his hand and shook it. He smiled again, his sharp teeth glistening dangerously.

"...So why am I here?" I asked. He blinked his hollowed out eyes, and I couldn't tell what he was looking at. The most I could tell were his furrowed red brows.

"...I am free," he said. "So I have come to speak with you. Now that Sasuke is leaving you, I can do all the things I've always wanted to do. And this time, you can't stop me."

"What?" I cried, jerking my hand away. He raised his hands innocently, his sharp grin growing more and more intimidating. "What do you want to do with him?"

"...Well, for starters, I'm going to fuck him. Then, I'll finally get another taste of the Uchiha blood. But then again, those might not be in the right order."

"Sasuke doesn't deserve that!"

"But he's leaving you. This is the last time you'll ever see him, and you're just going to let him walk out that door? You're not going to give him one more time?"

I shut my mouth, looking around nervously. Sasuke wouldn't like that, so why would I let this guy do it?

"I can't let you do that," I said boldly, "Sasuke has to leave and he can't help it."

It was then that the walls turned a stark white, and I grew confused. I looked over at Kyuubi, who had an angry scowl on his red lips.

"Of course. Who was I kidding? I tried to play nice, but that obviously doesn't work. You should have just said yes!"

Then, it was all gone. I couldn't see, couldn't hear anything. But I felt the slightly familiar burning sensation, and I felt so hot, like my skin was being peeled off from the heat. And then, I couldn't feel my body, only the burning.

"What are you doing? Stop this!" was what I wanted t cry out. I wouldn't have known if I had said it anyway, seeing as I couldn't hear anything. And I couldn't really say what happened after that. There was no answer.

---

There was a silent shift of his thigh to spread my legs only slightly, my head still pressed painfully to the door. I could barely breathe, and I could feel his hands roaming places I didn't want them to be. My tears were still coming, but my voice had gained strength.

"...Kyuubi," I growled. He gave a triumphant thrust of his hips against mine, his hand squeezing mine tightly.

"...Good job, bitch. But you'll definitely remember me after this."

"I thought you were gone," I said. He pressed against me harder, and I grunted in pain.

"Naruto kept me locked up, so I couldn't escape and do this." He emphasized by thrusting again. "But now that you're leaving, and poor little Naruto is heartbroken, I was strong enough to break out. And here we are. Blame yourself, baby."

I jerked my hand out from under his and tried to smack him off, but he kept me pressed to that door.

"Get off!" I screamed, kicking at him. He just took my legs until he had them over his shoulders and my back supported by the door. He grinned maliciously.

"You think you can get away again? You think it's that easy?"

I started to wiggle until I slipped up against the door and I could fall back onto the floor. Needless to say, Kyuubi face planted into the door and he let go of my legs. As I scurried away on my hands and knees, I once again thanked Lee for the gymnastics competition. Flexibility comes in handy.

I quickly got up and bolted to the kitchen, trying to find another exit. Or at least somewhere to hide until Kyuubi let up. As I saw him running right after me, I started to dash to another room, but slipped on the linoleum tile and fell on my back. With adrenaline still coursing in my veins, I tried to stand up as quickly as I could. But Kyuubi was already there. He pounced, and we skid on the waxy flooring. His sharp fingernails drove into my upturned legs and drew little speckles of blood. His angry eyes shone down like light bulbs and I knew I was finally caught.

"You better stay the fuck down, or else this will be even worse for you."

He started ripping at my shirt, and even nicked me a few times. I felt around blindly for anything, but there was nothing. Not even a stray fork. I looked up to see Kyuubi grinning like an alley cat that's caught the bird.

"...Sorry, baby. Jiraiya hid anything remotely sharp in his room."

I gave another rough struggle, rocking back and forth and rolling my legs away, but he slapped me right across the face. I had never been hit by Naruto before, and that fact hurt more than the sting, or the blood in my mouth. Kyuubi could tell I was bleeding, and immediately went to drink it. But I head butted him before he could, and it only gave me a headache. He shook me by the shoulders and the back of my head hit the tile with a crack.

"The fuck did I tell you?" he yelled. I gave a groan, everything spinning, swirling. I couldn't tell what he was doing at that point. After a short moment, I could feel the cold linoleum under my naked back and his dirty hands at my legs again. He opened his big stupid mouth, and I closed my eyes, finally trapped in a corner.

"Sorry, bitch, you won't like this at all."

---

I woke up; on what they told me was the third day, to unfamiliar walls. I slowly sat up and looked around.

And there he was, at my feet. His poor pale body was in a chair as his head rested limply on my ankle. The lines under his eyes had only worsened, looked longer. His boney hands looked ready to break, and his eyelids were dulled and a dim brown color that was unhealthily natural.

I sat up and stretched, my back feeling tight and stiff. But I realized not too later that the rest of me was too. So, scooting the blanket off me, I went to stretch that all too.

Bandages.

I looked down at my hips. White stripes of cotton covered here and there, mostly at my thighs. My hips were wrapped in it, and bloody patches had formed at each hipbone.

Then it hit me.

I clutched at my face as I stared at it in horror. My legs ached and trembled as I tried to move them. My stomach was patched too, as well as my collarbone. I could only imagine what that bloody thing had done to me.

Where else had that beast touched?

I shifted a little, and the blood patches grew. The shift immediately woke my brother, whose eyes shot open faster than humanly possible. He stared at me with wide black eyes, and I stared right back. I hadn't used my voice in a while, so I didn't know if I could say anything. So I let him speak.

But all he did was stare at me. Either he had nothing to say, or he was just too speechless. His eyes spoke enough.

"...Sasuke," he called out hoarsely, launching his skinny little body at me and embracing me with all the might his frail white arms could muster. I slowly lifted my stronger arms around him, feeling him tremble from excessive movement. It felt like so long since I last hugged my brother, years even. But I held him as he held me, and I smelt his now coffee-less scent, felt his oily black hair, heard his raspy dying voice.

"...Sasuke," he echoed. His shaky hands were at my hair, stroking and touching it. I sighed into his cold neck, finding my safety in his ironically weak arms.

"I missed you," I whispered, my unused vocal chords protesting. He gripped me all the tighter.

"...I missed you too."

Moments flew by, and we lay still, entangled in a brotherly fashion. He finally lifted his head, and looked at me with eyes withholding so much pain; it rivaled my own physical ache.

"...I wasn't there," he told me. "...I wasn't there for you when you needed me."

I gripped his arm tightly, staring at him with a smile.

"...It couldn't be avoided," I said, "And I don't...Really mind it much."

Eyes the size of the moon glared at me, asking me to repeat that. He stared at me like I had just grown another head.

"...What are you talking about?" he screeched as well as he could, "You can't tell me you're okay with this!"

I shrugged, turning my head to the window. I blinked.

Los Angeles.

I snapped back to Itachi, ready to voice my anger. But he beat me too it.

"I took us here so he wouldn't come back for you!"

My mouth closed immediately, seeing Itachi's miserable face wishing for no more than my safety. I gave a slow nod after a minute, feeling slightly betrayed and dismal.

It wasn't like I blamed Naruto or anything. I probably couldn't face him after what happened anyway. But just being away from him, knowing he was so far away, was like poking an open wound. I missed him so much.

"...Please just accept this," Itachi whispered, sliding off me and limping to the door. I realized I was in a hospital room only after he left. Hands to my face again, I finally cried. I wasn't to be with my friends, go back to school, or see Naruto ever again. I was never going to see his gorgeous face, of hear his wonderful voice, or see that smile. I only cried harder.

Californication.

---

"...Sir...I..."

I looked over at Jenny, her glasses in her shaking hand. She looked confused, frightened.

"...What is it, Jenny?" She just stared at me, tilting her little blonde head.

"...There's...A man...Here to see you."

"...Well, what's wrong? Why don't you let him in?" She grew nervous looking again.

"...He says...His name is I...Itachi."

And I just looked at her. Her eyes gleamed with secret excitement, but her body twitched as if she was scared. She had finally seen Itachi.

"...Please let him in," I asked. She nearly tripped over her own clicking heels as she stumbled out the door to get him. I stayed seated, composed. I knew he was going to show up sooner or later.

The door creaked open.

There stood Itachi, his boney legs barely keeping him up. His face was long and his eyes were heavy and teary. I finally stood up, walking around my desk to embrace him. But he took an unexpected and painful step away, eyes clouded and down.

"...Why'd you have to leave me?" he asked. And I couldn't answer. I only crushed his tiny body to mine, feeling his pale skin for the first time in almost half a year. I heard a sob escape his dry pale lips and onto my neck. I brushed my thick fingers through his frizzy untamed hair and pressed my black lips against his white cheek. It was like we were new to this all over again, except this time; I was the one crazy in love.

"...I love you so much," I whispered in his tiny cold ear. He just fisted my suit as tight as he could in his small boney hands. This man I was holding was a different person. He was not the strong and temperamental boy I had loved for so long. This person was cold and frightened, weak and small. The only thing I could remember of my lover was that black gaze, and apparently, it was the only thing left. He lifted his eyes to me, and I was once again lost in those deathly depths. They weren't as I had remembered them: They were tired, melancholy, and were all but at the surface. There was no mystery anymore.

He was just a scared little kid with nothing for him to keep going.

"...Now look what you've done," he whispered brokenly, his voice betraying him as well. "This is what I am without you."

I grimaced. Of course this was all my fault. I was selfish, arrogant, misleading. But most of all, I was supposed to be a lifeline. I knew Itachi had bluffed. If he really loved me as much as he said he did, he would never break up with me just because I wasn't with him all the time. If I knew him, because I do, he would chase me.

And he did; Even to America.

"I know, baby," I said, clutching him closer. It almost felt like the closer I was to him, the healthier he became. I wished for his creamy soft skin and his silky strands of darkness around his perfect white face. But all I saw was teary ebonies and a chapped smile.

"...Feel proud of yourself?"

I shook my head into his collarbone as I chuckled as heartily as I could. I felt tears brimming in my very own eyes. If I made him this way, I must really be something. My shoulders shook as I laughed even louder.

"...Just a little!"

---

And this was the end.

It was all over.

It was my fault!

I could still smell the blood all over me. It wasn't in anyway pleasurable as my other half had thought it would be. It was sticky and smelt like fermentation, like it was already old and absorbing into my skin. Blood was on my hands, face, all over my body, and of all places, in my mouth. It crusted under my tongue and layered over my teeth, like my teeth were naturally crimson. I could feel it caked under my blunt fingernails, as I had scraped at Sasuke's skin until it bled out and flesh had torn. It was all over my clothes, drying like splattered scabs, especially on my pants. Kyuubi had been so much of a monster that he had done those things to Sasuke without even taking my pants off.

I smacked my face.

What the hell was I thinking? As if I could really bitch about him not being naked while doing all that. I felt sick thinking about it.

But after the incident, I burned those clothes and took three scalding showers. And still after, I could feel the blood. Days, weeks, and a month later, and I still felt him all over me. Either it was the guilt, or the guilt. Yes.

A month and two days after the last time I saw Sasuke, I had a few too many drinks. Of course it was illegal, but I couldn't bring myself to care. After being in my room for so long, in my drunken rage, I tore down all the pictures in my room. I watched groggily as I tore up my father's doomed face, ripped his body in half, and screamed at all that was left. By the end of it, my carpet was hidden under shreds of paper and the blood I had used as my medium. Everyone just thought it was red paint, but no, it was me. My breath was heavy from my mouth as I looked down at all the paper remnants. But then I looked up.

Only one picture remained.

I stared at it the best I could, trying to get through to myself whether to destroy it, or keep it as a horrible reminder.

_Beep. Beep. Beep_

I looked over at my bed, to where my phone was blinking and beeping. In my rage and angry cries, I hadn't heard the phone. Slowly moving to it, I flipped it open.

_NEW TXT MESSAGE_

I frowned. Texting was such a waste. But I pressed the OK button, and could only stare at it. I felt my eyes get wet. It might have been the alcohol getting through to my emotions, but I knew better. I knew what this was. I've felt it since the first day of art class, which I had later quit altogether. I realized it wasn't the art that kept me coming. It was this other thing. And that other thing had just made my millennium. I threw down the phone with a sob of happiness; my eyes finally letting the salty tears swim down my tan face. Finally...

With newfound love, enthusiasm, and utter bliss, I grabbed the dusty old canvas from beneath my bed. I hadn't touched anything artistic since he left, and here I was, doing what I had vowed to never do again. I took up my forgotten brushes and paints, and with another choked sob of joy, I left for the living room: My personal art studio, my beautiful blank canvas, and my unused horsehair tips.

My muse was back.

--- --- --- --- --- ---

TXT MESSAGE FROM: Sasuke U.

_**Paint a picture. It'll last longer.**_

_CALL BACK #: N/A_

_SENT: 12/14/08 17:43_

--- --- --- --- --- ---


	10. Epilogue

Well, this is the end! It was pretty fast paced, and I don't really like how the plot switched around a lot. But at least I didn't drag it out for 20 chapters! HA! This is the shortest WIP I've ever written D. Hooray for me. So. Thanks for reading all this, that was very nice of you! I probably won't write anything else for a long, long time. I'm focusing more on my comics than fan fiction. (Check out my homepage if you want to see it!) So enjoy this!

REVIEW PLEASE. And seriously, something more than "tht wz ttly awsom." Or "cool". It's getting really annoying. Again, thanks guys!

---

"...Would you like to take a ride today, little brother?"

I glanced over at him. How could he still manage to call me "little brother" after all this time? Even after ten years, and I was so very mature, he still had the audacity to call me that.

"...Will you ever grow out of that?" Kisame asked, his older voice still shrouded in amusement. Itachi grinned, and the lines under his eyes grew wider. I rolled my eyes and strolled to the limo.

I couldn't recall how many years it had truly been since I was last in Japan. I tried to keep it out of my head, and once I did, I forgot all about it. I regretted it. I wished to remember my life back in my homeland, where living was peaceful and everything was grand.

Here, not so much.

I watched as Kisame and Itachi laughed at their own jokes, Itachi being helped along by Kisame's strong sure arm around his. Their love had gone past all opposition, and yet it still remained. Itachi still took care of the company back in Japan, just from a long distance. I had become vice president, and we planned to open the bank's American chain in only a few short months. Kisame had risen to president of California's most efficient power plant, and we all lived carefree in a mansion near the heart of Los Angeles. Itachi and Kisame had yet to take anything seriously in their jobs or their relationship. Itachi had since gotten healthy enough to be seen around the city, and Kisame had once again taken the position of Itachi's faithful dog, though much less demanded. I saw something different between them that I had never seen in their love before California. It wasn't about who owned who anymore, or who loved who the most.

I, however, had yet to find anyone as compatible. After Naruto, I couldn't even think of loving someone else. It was too far-fetched, and when I saw other people with hands held and kisses on lips, I felt my heart beat a little faster. I missed that feeling.

"Hurry the fuck up."

"Shush, little brother! Hold your loose tongue!"

Kisame grinned and opened the door for Itachi and me, and got in himself. Itachi switched places with me so I was at the window. He had either done that so I could get out, or so he could sit near Kisame. I gave up and chose the latter. But his tell-tale grin said otherwise. I eyed him wearily.

"...Is there something you aren't telling me, dear brother?" I asked, a growl threatening to rear itself. Itachi shrugged, his grin, if anything, brighter.

"...I might have found something a little interesting that you might like...Right, K?"

Kisame gave a slight nod and gestured for the chauffeur to drive on. As the limousine gave a soft pull forward, I could only hope for the best. All the while, their smiles did not loosen.

---

"Stop the fucking car!"

My scream startled the chauffeur and he jerked to a stop. Kisame and Itachi only burst out laughing as I launched myself out of the car and onto the sidewalk, not even caring about my high positions call for composure.

The art gallery had bright neon lights shining from their crystal glass walls onto my face.

But it wasn't my only face.

The top of the large building held but one giant canvas as an introduction to the artist, one so large, that it took up a third of the tall edifice. It was with heart wrenching familiarity that I looked upon the billboard painting that was created with the black Japanese calligraphy ink and red acrylic.

There I was, my face shining down on me.

My breath was lost as I looked into the painting of me, with eyes that seemed the exact copies I see in the mirror every morning. It held more than that. They were brighter and beautiful, an adjective I was hesitant to even use for myself. And then there was the banner under my Japanese portrait.

_**The Artist of Japan: Naruto Uzumaki**_

I jerked back to look at Itachi, but he was still open mouthed and breathless from laughter. Gaining control of my heart, I slowly strolled into the gallery.

Me.

It was almost like I walked into a mirror fun house, because there wasn't a picture without my face gleaming back at me. When I entered, I felt everyone's eyes on me, as if they mistook me for one of the paintings. But I was the real thing.

They stopped to admire me, smiles on their faces. Strangers, the strange inhabitants of L.A. stopped to smile at me. I looked cautiously around the silent room, viewing me in all stances. Some were colorful, but most of them were black and white calligraphy. Over to the left of the gallery, there was a small description, so I, as quickly as I could without drawing more attention, rushed over.

--- --- --- ---

_Naruto Uzumaki, the young half-Japanese artist, is known only for his reoccurring subject. The mysterious model has yet to have his name announced by Uzumaki, and it might remain forever a mystery. It is even rumored that this character is merely a work of fiction. His portrayal of this mystifying man has no boundaries as to what he can do, and is mostly drawn partaking in daily activities. Uzumaki started painting in his 2__nd__ year of high school, and has continued until his lifelong dream of becoming famous was fulfilled._

_Uzumaki stays traditional by using only calligraphy inks._

--- --- --- ---

"...My, do you look old, Sasuke."

I gave a jump and jerked around to face that voice. My heart ripped from my chest at the sight of his long-lost face.

He looked the same as he had always looked. His hair had become less messy, but was still that annoying yellow color. Blue eyes had only gotten bluer, and his tan skin had dimmed with age. He was a healthy bronze, and his grin had only gotten bigger.

"...I've never seen you in a suit before, Sasuke," he stated with a hearty chuckle, ceruleans looking me over for the first time in ten long years. It felt so new, so unfamiliar. I had nothing to say. The only thing my head could come up with was my last moment with Naruto, and all the horrifying pain it brought.

Pain: Naruto.

He noticed the look in my eyes, and his grin slowly disintegrated. I frowned myself, hating the way his face looked so hollow without it. His eyes dropped to the clean-cut marble floor.

"...I didn't expect you to forgive me. I'm sorry..." he trailed off. I looked up at him boldly. It wasn't I who was afraid of him; it was all in my stupid unforgiving head. I kicked by foot out and he looked up.

"...I never blamed you in the first place," I whispered.

And then there was a twitch of his lips.

His grin grew back tenfold, and I could see his inner turmoil over whether to hug me or not. His hands came up to do so, but his mind beat him to it, and they dropped back to his sides. He laughed.

"...Thank you," he said, his gorgeous voice retaining its rightful place in my ears. The moment was short lived, though, as spectators began to crowd, their curious faces asking all kinds of questions.

"...Is this your model?"

"Mr. Uzumaki, I have some questions to ask you!"

"What's your name?"

I raised my eyebrows to that last question directed at me. I looked to Naruto first, and his hand waved gracefully, his grin more delightful than I had ever seen it before. I smiled myself and answered audaciously.

"...Sasuke. Sasuke Uchiha."

After a moment, mumbles of all sorts of other questions arose, and I became flustered. Naruto only chuckled loudly and pushed back the audience, promising answers later. They unwillingly did so after a short moment of rebellion, but we were alone once again.

I took the moment to memorize his newer appearance again. Maybe it was just me, but I found a newer respect in Naruto, one that came with being older, more mature. We weren't kids anymore, we weren't teenagers. We were adults, and this is how he would always look to me. He noticed my stare.

"...What are you looking at, ba...Sasuke?"

My heart clenched as he almost said it. I had missed that the most. I had missed being called that. I would hear it everyday from Kisame to Itachi, but never had I wanted it to be said so badly.

"...You...You can say it, if you want," I whispered. He nervously scratched his head and smiled.

"...Really?" I nodded. He nodded back. "...Baby."

I felt my heart twist as it beat for joy. There: He had finally said it. I let a smile fall upon my lips, and he pointed at it.

"...That's a nice smile," he said, his grin once again growing. My eyes left his from awkwardness and fell upon a painting that caught my attention. I pointed at it.

"...I remember that one. The one over your bed," I said. I felt a laugh I had no idea I could voice erupt from my vocals. He nodded happily, titling his head at it.

"...Still couldn't get the eyes on that one," he admitted, hands on his hips.

I turned to him once again. Maybe it was just the fact that I hadn't seen him in ten heartbreaking years, but I doubted I had ever seen someone so wonderful. His flat hair didn't match his ecstatic personality, but then again, he obviously grew out of it.

"...Umm..." I started, giving his attention to me, "...Kyuu-"

"Don't," he interrupted. I zipped my mouth shut, but he sighed, scratching at his nape. "...I took care of it."

"...So he's...?"

"Gone," he answered, hands in his pocket, staring off into the gallery again. My heart clenched at the lack of attention. I was so glad for Kyuubi being gone. My soul gave a beat of hope; maybe we could start over, now that Kyuubi wasn't between us.

But it was no use.

Maybe it was my head, listing the reasons why I couldn't get back together with Naruto. Maybe it was my heart that hurt whenever Naruto talked, moved, or smiled. But I knew.

I knew it was just me.

We'd been through too much. There was still so much tension. We couldn't forget the past, the horrible ending that arose. We would never forget it, and it would only interfere. He would feel guilty, and I would feel defensive, the whole time. There was no way we could do it.

If only forgetting were that easy.

"...Look," I whispered nervously, my old Sasuke bursting out; the same little Sasuke that was always timid of Naruto and everything he did. "...Why don't we go get coffee or something?"

And he gave me this look. His hands pumped at his hips again, and his lips twitched to an amused smirk.

"...Ditch my own art gallery, which I've always dreamed of, for a five dollar cup of coffee with my ex-boyfriend?" he spelled out. The word ex-boyfriend stung, but I still let a strange smile on my face, mimicking his. We chuckled quietly.

"Yes," I laughed. He waited until his laughs calmed before he inhaled loudly and nodded, his beautiful face in complete bliss, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"...I'd like that."

And just like that, we were slowly walking to the clear crystal doors. It was hard to believe it was that easy. But I turned to him one last time, and his smile was still in play.

"...There was a reason I wanted this art show in L.A., stupid."

Instantly flustered, I stumbled in my walk and accidentally touched his hand. He immediately withdrew from me, eyeing me apologetically. But I stopped to stare him down, boney pale hands clutching at my rabid heart through my crumpled ebony suit.

"...I'm not afraid," I whispered. He nervously gazed at the floor, scratching at his nape again. I guess that had become his habit. His hands would be forever bandage-free.

"...Really?" he whispered back, still not looking. I nodded, but of course he didn't see it. I hesitantly, slowly, touched his warm tan hand, feeling my old love wash over me with my new love, combining to leave me blissful and lethargic. I held it, or really it held mine, loosely. His fingers were still so much bigger than mine, and he was still so much taller and bigger. Suddenly, I felt slightly intimidated, smaller, and weaker. But that only made me grasp his hand all the tighter, wanting to feel safe with him all over again. I wished for him to be my equivalent to Kisame. I wanted him to be my high school sweetheart, my absolute lover, and my safety. If only two of those things were up there, it was all I could ever want.

All I wanted, needed, was Naruto.

I nudged him out the door with me, and he timidly followed, his hand barely leaving his nape. I felt timid myself, but I had yet to show him.

Keyword: Yet.

And we walked the L.A. streets, looking back at the limo where Kisame and Itachi waved at us warmly. Naruto stayed quiet, but I told him everything was okay, and hopefully, everything would be from then on. I didn't have any promises for him, and neither he to I. It was only a little hard to hold that nostalgic hand, the one that had hurt me so badly, and the one that I loved so badly. It was confusing, and it only added to my unconditional adoration for this man. From then on, it was hard to believe I actually spent ten years away from him, that I actually lasted that long. Because now that I remembered what I was missing, I was never going to give up that easily.

An Uchiha always gets what they want.

-Owari-


End file.
